Valley Forge Park

When we first decided to homeschool and I saw that one of the requirements was to teach about the states history I had a moment of panic. I come from a state so-so in state history, but now I live in one of the best historical states and we are so close to so many amazing attractions! This past thursday was homeschool day at Valley Forge Park and it was just great! If you have never been, def. try to go when they are having reenactments as they go above and beyond. The park on a whole is great-- lots of walking trails, cool buildings, deer, foxes-- it really is a great place that we sometimes take for granted.

The kids got to dress like the colonists, see a surgeon, play with toys from that era, watch them fire a musket, and lots more:)

My baby is sick :(

My poor little guy is trying to cut his teeth (again) and also got a cold in the process and is wheezy, which means he is back on the nebi :( He has been a trooper though, all though, I wish he had some teethies to show for all the pain he has been in. Since he is baby number three, I have picked up some helpful things to ease baby (and big kids comfort) from my other two and years nannying and teaching at a daycare
Here are some things that have helped us:

1. Natural teething tablets, a wet washcloth filled with ice and secured with a rubber band, the munchkin food holder with a fruit Popsicle in it, oragel, refrigerated teething toys, and when all else fails, tylenol

2. For fevers-- first we have become "experts" in this area since my daughter gets febrile seizures. Her first year she got three, this year only one cause we have gotten more fever savvy. Be Kool strips-- these are worth every penny and then some! They have mickey mouse on them and stick to the childs head or neck and last for eight hours-- my husband even used one the last time he was sick and they are just amazing! Also, you can alternate when baby is old enough tylenol and motrin for severe fevers and with drs okay.

3. constipation-- I use the drops, but my favorite thing is Magic Poopy Popsicles :) I make prune juice popsicles and my kids think they taste funny, but how can a popsicle be bad? It cant! Also, I pedal their legs for them or a good run around helps, ahem, loosen things up.

4. Runny noses: ugh, I hate snotty nose kids--- its just gross, but, sometimes it cant be helped away completely. So, we use saline drops, the syringe-- if done right, it yields great results, vapor baths, vapor rubs-- anything with the word "vapor" basically! Ha!

Another thing I have done is call the doctor and talk about the problem first and ask them what they will do for it and if I can treat it at home. Our drs have been great about calling in prescriptions and telling us when we should come in so they can doll out the proper treatment. Please, feel free to post any ideas or solutions that have worked for you and yours :)

Mother's Day Tea

Recently our church had a woman's tea and the speaker encouraged us to connect with the woman in our lives who we may not see often... and I was challenged. I dont see my moms side of the family often enough-- especially my grandmom, so I decided to throw a tea on mothers day for all the ladies on that side of the family. I kept it simple-- I did the sandwiches, quiche, and spinach puffs and my mom made a salad and set everything up and called everyone to invite them. It was just so nice to spend the day with my mom and her sisters and their daughters and our grandmom. We had so much fun that we're going to make it a tradition every year :) Hopefully next year it will be warmer out so we can have it outdoors :)