Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
St Patrick's Day fun
print the black an white one up and have the child use dots from the office store that you have written the letters on and match them with the dots on the snake. Then you help the child cut it out on the line staple a string on the head and they have a twirlly.
print this out and have the child draw a line from the number to the correct number of shamrocks
print this up and let the child see if he can help him find his pot of gold
print this up and let the child see if he can help him find his pot of gold
Monday, March 16, 2009
Those smart little ones
Here you will find a story that shows how very smart are children are. This little boy knows when him mother is ready for fun and when she is not quite there yet just by a glance.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Leprechaun Trap
Look what I found on the internet, a story by a friend of mine from church, and it is perfect for this month. Teresa is a local author and my children have enjoyed her stories both in school and at church. She has had several childrens books published so look for more of her work.
By Teresa Bateman
Michael O’Connor was a thief, and proud of it.
“There’s no one in Ireland cleverer than I am,” he declared. “Why, taking gold from the foolish is as easy as plucking apples from a tree. There are days when I think I could outwit even the leprechauns.”
Michael had long believed that cleverness was better than hard work and honesty, and he smiled as he fingered the two gold coins in his pocket.
At that moment, he heard someone coming along the path behind him. He sneaked into the trees, then parted the leaves to see what luck would bring. His eyes widened, for there, striding along as if he owned the world, was a leprechaun!
Leaping out, Michael grabbed the wee man by the back of his jacket. “Now I’ve got you!” he shouted. “And I’ll not let you go until you’ve given me your gold— and your name,” he added, for he knew that a leprechaun’s name was his bond.
The leprechaun hung there, pitiful and powerless. “Name is Daniel,” he squeaked as Michael tightened his grip. “And all right, I’ll give you what gold I have, only let me go.”
“I’ll not release you until I see the gold,” Michael said prudently.
With a sorrowful wave of the leprechaun’s hand, a tiny pot appeared nearby.
Michael O’Connor dropped his captive, seized the crock, then frowned when he saw only three gold coins inside.
What’s this?” Michael asked. “Is this all the gold you have?”
Daniel sighed. “Aye, and I’m lucky to have even that. My brother Liam’s the clever one. He has a mountain of gold coins, and is always bragging how nobody can outwit him. Now he’ll laugh at me for having been outwitted myself.”
Michael’s eyes gleamed. “You say Liam has gold?” he asked.
“Aye,” Daniel replied. “And he’s always coming home with more that he’s tricked from one person or another. How he laughs at me and my three coins!”
At that, Michael grinned. “It seems you’re a small fish and there’s a bigger one in the pond,” he said. “I’ll throw you back if you help me teach your brother a lesson.”
Daniel frowned. “It would be nice if this time I were the clever one,” he said slowly. “All right.
I’ll teach you how to build a leprechaun trap,” he declared, “and see how my brother deals with that!”
So the pact was made, and they hurried to Michael’s cottage. Under Daniel’s direction, Michael built a wooden trap with a door that would snap shut when something entered and with sturdy walls that offered no escape. Now all they needed was bait.
Daniel suggested shamrocks. “Leprechauns love them,” he insisted.
They hurried to a nearby meadow where Michael fell to his knees in the hot afternoon sun to scout about for shamrocks.
“I’d help you,” Daniel shouted from the shade of a nearby tree, “only I would never be able to resist the things myself. Best I just stay here.”
Finally, red and sweating, Michael clutched in his hand four drooping shamrocks. These he placed in the trap, and Michael and Daniel settled down to wait the night away.
The next morning the trap was sprung, but when Michael eagerly pried it open he found only a rabbit, which hopped away. The shamrocks had been eaten.
“Too bad,” Daniel said. “You’d best take my wee pot of gold, and I’ll be on my way. No need to tell you more leprechaun secrets or let on about better bait.”
“Better bait?” Michael picked up the leprechaun and said, “Tell me more, or you’ll wish you did.”
Daniel sagged in his hands. “Rainbows,” he admitted. “Leprechauns love rainbows. Why do you suppose we hide pots of gold at the ends of them?”
“And where would I get a rainbow to toss into the trap?” Michael bellowed.
“Easy,” the leprechaun replied. “On a sunny day like today you’ll find a beautiful rainbow in the waterfall just down the river from here. It’s one of my brother’s favorite spots.”
Michael dragged the trap out of the bushes, then hauled the heavy thing half a mile to the waterfall, Daniel riding on top and giving directions.
Michael was scratched, hot, and exhausted by the time they arrived, but he didn’t care once he saw the rainbow dancing in the waterfall.
“Just set the trap out under the falls,” Daniel advised. “I’ll tell you where. With luck, Liam’s gold will be yours before noon!”
Michael dragged the trap into the river. At first the cool water felt wonderful, but soon he was frozen through. He thought of the gold, however, and refused to quit. When the trap was finally set, Michael stumbled, half-drowned, back to the warm rock where the leprechaun was dipping his toes in the water.
Michael flopped down and fell into a shivering doze. He awoke to Daniel’s shout.
“You’ve caught something!”
Back into the freezing water went Michael O’Connor. He retrieved the trap, but when he upended it on the bank, three trout tumbled out and wriggled past his feet into the river again.
Michael scowled. “I should just take your gold and be done with the matter.”
“Isn’t that what I’ve been saying all along?” Daniel agreed. “Settle for my three coins. It’s not your fault if Liam’s cleverer than you are.”
At this, Michael’s eyes flashed. “Nobody’s cleverer than I am,” he declared. “I just need the right bait.” He glared at Daniel.
“Well, gold’s the best bait,” Daniel said hesitantly, “but I didn’t think you’d want to use it.”
“No problem,” Michael replied. “I’ll just use your pot of gold.”
“You can use it, but it won’t tempt Liam,” Daniel said. “If it did, he’d have already tricked me out of it. To trap my brother you’d need much more gold. That’s why I didn’t suggest it before.”
This stopped Michael, but only for a moment. Then he pulled the two gold coins from his pocket. “Would these help?” he asked.
“It’s better,” Daniel admitted, “but Liam has a mountain of gold. It would take more than five coins to interest him.”
Michael hurried home and dragged out the small chest where he kept all of his ill-gotten gains. He hauled it to the river and opened it in front of Daniel.
“Will this do?” he panted.
“Ah, there’s a glorious sight,” Daniel declared. “Add that to the rest, and it’s sure to fetch Liam.”
Michael O’Connor placed the gold in the trap and settled down to wait. But after an afternoon in the hot sun, a night on the stony ground, and a morning in the river, he was worn out. First his head nodded, then it sagged, then he was asleep entirely.
A small voice came out of a nearby bush. “It’s a grand trap you have there, Daniel.”
“Aye, Liam. The man’s a dab hand at making a trap. It’s a fine one indeed.”
“No better than our own,” Liam replied with a grin.
An hour later Michael’s eyes fluttered open. He looked around in bewilderment. The leprechaun was gone, and all the gold as well.
For, indeed, it had been a fine leprechaun trap.
By Teresa Bateman
Michael O’Connor was a thief, and proud of it.
“There’s no one in Ireland cleverer than I am,” he declared. “Why, taking gold from the foolish is as easy as plucking apples from a tree. There are days when I think I could outwit even the leprechauns.”
Michael had long believed that cleverness was better than hard work and honesty, and he smiled as he fingered the two gold coins in his pocket.
At that moment, he heard someone coming along the path behind him. He sneaked into the trees, then parted the leaves to see what luck would bring. His eyes widened, for there, striding along as if he owned the world, was a leprechaun!
Leaping out, Michael grabbed the wee man by the back of his jacket. “Now I’ve got you!” he shouted. “And I’ll not let you go until you’ve given me your gold— and your name,” he added, for he knew that a leprechaun’s name was his bond.
The leprechaun hung there, pitiful and powerless. “Name is Daniel,” he squeaked as Michael tightened his grip. “And all right, I’ll give you what gold I have, only let me go.”
“I’ll not release you until I see the gold,” Michael said prudently.
With a sorrowful wave of the leprechaun’s hand, a tiny pot appeared nearby.
Michael O’Connor dropped his captive, seized the crock, then frowned when he saw only three gold coins inside.
What’s this?” Michael asked. “Is this all the gold you have?”
Daniel sighed. “Aye, and I’m lucky to have even that. My brother Liam’s the clever one. He has a mountain of gold coins, and is always bragging how nobody can outwit him. Now he’ll laugh at me for having been outwitted myself.”
Michael’s eyes gleamed. “You say Liam has gold?” he asked.
“Aye,” Daniel replied. “And he’s always coming home with more that he’s tricked from one person or another. How he laughs at me and my three coins!”
At that, Michael grinned. “It seems you’re a small fish and there’s a bigger one in the pond,” he said. “I’ll throw you back if you help me teach your brother a lesson.”
Daniel frowned. “It would be nice if this time I were the clever one,” he said slowly. “All right.
I’ll teach you how to build a leprechaun trap,” he declared, “and see how my brother deals with that!”
So the pact was made, and they hurried to Michael’s cottage. Under Daniel’s direction, Michael built a wooden trap with a door that would snap shut when something entered and with sturdy walls that offered no escape. Now all they needed was bait.
Daniel suggested shamrocks. “Leprechauns love them,” he insisted.
They hurried to a nearby meadow where Michael fell to his knees in the hot afternoon sun to scout about for shamrocks.
“I’d help you,” Daniel shouted from the shade of a nearby tree, “only I would never be able to resist the things myself. Best I just stay here.”
Finally, red and sweating, Michael clutched in his hand four drooping shamrocks. These he placed in the trap, and Michael and Daniel settled down to wait the night away.
The next morning the trap was sprung, but when Michael eagerly pried it open he found only a rabbit, which hopped away. The shamrocks had been eaten.
“Too bad,” Daniel said. “You’d best take my wee pot of gold, and I’ll be on my way. No need to tell you more leprechaun secrets or let on about better bait.”
“Better bait?” Michael picked up the leprechaun and said, “Tell me more, or you’ll wish you did.”
Daniel sagged in his hands. “Rainbows,” he admitted. “Leprechauns love rainbows. Why do you suppose we hide pots of gold at the ends of them?”
“And where would I get a rainbow to toss into the trap?” Michael bellowed.
“Easy,” the leprechaun replied. “On a sunny day like today you’ll find a beautiful rainbow in the waterfall just down the river from here. It’s one of my brother’s favorite spots.”
Michael dragged the trap out of the bushes, then hauled the heavy thing half a mile to the waterfall, Daniel riding on top and giving directions.
Michael was scratched, hot, and exhausted by the time they arrived, but he didn’t care once he saw the rainbow dancing in the waterfall.
“Just set the trap out under the falls,” Daniel advised. “I’ll tell you where. With luck, Liam’s gold will be yours before noon!”
Michael dragged the trap into the river. At first the cool water felt wonderful, but soon he was frozen through. He thought of the gold, however, and refused to quit. When the trap was finally set, Michael stumbled, half-drowned, back to the warm rock where the leprechaun was dipping his toes in the water.
Michael flopped down and fell into a shivering doze. He awoke to Daniel’s shout.
“You’ve caught something!”
Back into the freezing water went Michael O’Connor. He retrieved the trap, but when he upended it on the bank, three trout tumbled out and wriggled past his feet into the river again.
Michael scowled. “I should just take your gold and be done with the matter.”
“Isn’t that what I’ve been saying all along?” Daniel agreed. “Settle for my three coins. It’s not your fault if Liam’s cleverer than you are.”
At this, Michael’s eyes flashed. “Nobody’s cleverer than I am,” he declared. “I just need the right bait.” He glared at Daniel.
“Well, gold’s the best bait,” Daniel said hesitantly, “but I didn’t think you’d want to use it.”
“No problem,” Michael replied. “I’ll just use your pot of gold.”
“You can use it, but it won’t tempt Liam,” Daniel said. “If it did, he’d have already tricked me out of it. To trap my brother you’d need much more gold. That’s why I didn’t suggest it before.”
This stopped Michael, but only for a moment. Then he pulled the two gold coins from his pocket. “Would these help?” he asked.
“It’s better,” Daniel admitted, “but Liam has a mountain of gold. It would take more than five coins to interest him.”
Michael hurried home and dragged out the small chest where he kept all of his ill-gotten gains. He hauled it to the river and opened it in front of Daniel.
“Will this do?” he panted.
“Ah, there’s a glorious sight,” Daniel declared. “Add that to the rest, and it’s sure to fetch Liam.”
Michael O’Connor placed the gold in the trap and settled down to wait. But after an afternoon in the hot sun, a night on the stony ground, and a morning in the river, he was worn out. First his head nodded, then it sagged, then he was asleep entirely.
A small voice came out of a nearby bush. “It’s a grand trap you have there, Daniel.”
“Aye, Liam. The man’s a dab hand at making a trap. It’s a fine one indeed.”
“No better than our own,” Liam replied with a grin.
An hour later Michael’s eyes fluttered open. He looked around in bewilderment. The leprechaun was gone, and all the gold as well.
For, indeed, it had been a fine leprechaun trap.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Home made playdoe
CHILDREN'S PLAY DOUGH
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 c. water with food coloring added
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. oil
Mix all together in medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until ball forms. Don't let it get too dry. This doesn't take long to cook. Store it in a seal able plastic bag.
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 c. water with food coloring added
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. oil
Mix all together in medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until ball forms. Don't let it get too dry. This doesn't take long to cook. Store it in a seal able plastic bag.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Value of a Child
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even count college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.99 a year, $741.38 a month or $171.08 a week. That is a mere $24.24 a day. Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be "rich"; It is just the opposite. What do you get from your $160,140?
Naming rights
Glimpses of God every day
Giggles under the covers every night
More love than your heart can hold
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs
Endless wonder over ricks, ants, clouds and warm cookies
A hand to hold, usually covered with jam
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain
Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day
You never have to be a grown up
You get to finger paint, carve pumpkins, play hide and seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa
You have an excuse to keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching cartoons and going to Disney movies
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodles wreath's for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mothers Day and cards with backward letters for Fathers Day
You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling a wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless
You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step, first word, first bra, firts date and first time behind the wheel
You get to be immortal
You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in you obituary called grandchildren
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communication, and human sexuality that no college can match
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Trick-or-Treat bags
I think the parents like these more oras much as the kids. They should be dated for a keep sake.
And here is how: You need a 21x10 inch piece of black canvas, two 3x10 pieces of contrast and what ever you are using for the straps, about 18 inches each.
Using a 1/4 inch seam sew the contrasting on to each end press.
Fold so that the contrasting fabric is front to front and sew the side seams.
And here is how: You need a 21x10 inch piece of black canvas, two 3x10 pieces of contrast and what ever you are using for the straps, about 18 inches each.Using a 1/4 inch seam sew the contrasting on to each end press.Fold so that the contrasting fabric is front to front and sew the side seams. Then the fun part, paint the child's foot and press (without wiggling if possible) the foot onto the front of the bag with the heal to the top. 
Let it dry completely and use a permanent marker to draw the eyes.
Let it dry completely and use a permanent marker to draw the eyes. I like the square the bottom about one inch.
Add your straps and TaDa. You can use two embroidery floss to put their name date on if you want.
0-My 17 year old daughter wants one for a school bag!!
Add your straps and TaDa. You can use two embroidery floss to put their name date on if you want.
0-My 17 year old daughter wants one for a school bag!!Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Calander days
Copy these on orange paper and write the monthly numbers on them then cut them out and use them for your calender days.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Thanksgiving
Pilgrims fled an evil king, they wanted to be free.
To the new world strange to them they went across the sea.
With the people of this new land we must brothers be.
In this land free to choose whats best for me.
To the new world strange to them they went across the sea.
With the people of this new land we must brothers be.
In this land free to choose whats best for me.
Thanksgiving Turkey
Have Children color the turkey and they copy the tail feathers on different colored paper have the children cut them out and then add to the back of the turkey.
The Only Star
Draw a Christmas tree shape on a 18"x12" piece of card stalk. Cut out the ornaments and allow the children to decorate the tree as you tell the story. Use this to discuss how it feels to be left out or how we are all special in our own way or how being different is not a bad thing.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Ugly Duckling
Copy on card stalk so the children can tell you the story and put the pictures in order.
Leafy Patterns
Cut the leafs on the bottom out and glue them in the correct box to complete the pattern.
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