Roanoke Island Festival Park

Our family heads down to the Outer Banks at least once, but sometimes twice a year. My husband and I are total beach bums and it didn't take much to pass that on to our children. Most trips include lounging on the sand all day until the kids need a nap, but this past trip was a little rainy and we needed some additional entertainment. 

Years ago (before kids), Stephen and I saw a fireworks show on the 4th of July in Manteo that was absolutely amazing! It lasted well over an hour and we were beyond impressed. Also, when Addy was about 8 months old, we went to the Roanoke Island Aquarium while visiting Nags Head for the week, so we had a little knowledge of the Manteo/Roanoke Island area. However, this was our first experience with Roanoke Island Festival Park and we thoroughly enjoyed it. There was an 100% chance of rain, but nothing other than a few sprinkles fell until we got in the car to leave. Either way, there's a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities to choose from. 

Immediately upon entering, our oldest was able to convince my husband that they needed a sword and hook hand (like Captain Hook) from the gift shop and I was shocked that he obliged (he's a penny pincher). With that being said though, there isn't really any sort of "pirate" theme throughout the park. It's centered around the Native Americans whom originally occupied this land and the settlers who later arrived. We headed to the ship first, the Queen Elizabeth II, so that we were able to take advantage of the outside activities first in case the rain came. 

While the ship appears large, the thought of hundreds of men living inside for months at sea was astonishing. However, it certainly did not take away from the beauty of it. The girls were convinced it was a pirate ship and we sort of allowed them to go on believing that since an in depth conversation about Native Americans and English settlers has only been skimmed over in this household thus far. 

One of my favorite areas was the setup for how English settlers lived. Lots of hands on activities and employees whom explained the lifestyle. My 3 1/2 year old was able to use a lathe, help create a nail with the blacksmith and shave wood to make posts. She was impressed and we were proud of her for even trying. Additionally, my husband who is a carpenter was thrilled!

Unfortunately, I only have a few poor photos of the Native American setup. It included lots of hands on activities as well, but the actors (employees) were not present in this area. My personal opinion is that it would really add to the setup if they had been there since we really enjoyed speaking with them and learning from their stories at the settlers area.

Next, we entered the museum. This was a great highlight for us and it really brought the whole concept and feel together. Again, lots of hands on activities for children (and adults). We probably spent over an hour in the museum and while I have dozens of photos, many did not come out well because of the lighting. Also, many of the photos are directly of my children's faces and there's no need for you to know them that well.

After the museum, we caught the film presented in the auditorium. It was titled The Legend of Two Path and it was just under an hour long. It tells the story of a young Native American man and his experience with other tribes and eventually, with the English settlers. We found it entertaining and educational, including our oldest (the littlest fell asleep).

We grabbed lunch at Poor Richard's Sandwich Shop in Manteo (just a VERY short walking distance from RIFP). We enjoyed seeing all the boats, loved our delicious meals, and could not get enough of the perfectly quaint and beautiful island. This was without a doubt an experience I'll remember and I hope my children will say the same. We have every intention of visiting Roanoke Island Festival Park again and we highly recommend it for all ages.

Potty training

Recently, I've been asked a lot about potty training. How did I do it? Why did I start so early? Do the girls still wear diapers? For starters, I have no idea how I did it because I never asked for advice and I never researched methods; I literally just did it. We started early because what else would I do while staying home with these crazy girls. There's only so many floors to sweep and mop (KIDDING!). Blair is still in diapers all day, though she will let us know 65% of the time if she needs to poop or pee. Addy has been out of diapers during the day for over a year and a half and out of diapers at night for only about 4 months. I do not claim to know it all about potty training, but I have had a lot of success with both of my children (I hear boys are harder). Below are some tips, ideas and so forth that I have used or heard about. I hope they help!

*Start now. Like yesterday, like 6 months ago. You can purchase the toilet lid or training potty and get them accustomed to seeing it or sitting on it around 12 months. Progressively bring it out more often allowing them to sit without a diaper. (TMI: when I was first introducing the training potty to Addy, she was deathly afraid of it, so I sat on it and peed to show her it wasn't going to eat her alive. You'll do anything to get them potty trained, right? Not to mention, I hadn't peed in privacy in over 6 months anyways, so what difference did it make.)

*When they poop in their diaper, take them to the bathroom and drop the poop into the toilet and flush. This will give them the first idea about where the poop and pee goes. Explain to them in your best, happy voice. At this point, you aren't even talking about potty training, you are just laying down the foundation.

*The moment they wake in the morning or from nap time, put them on the potty. I'm sure they peed while they were sleeping, but trust me, they will need to go again when they wake. This is a great opportunity to show them what pee is/how it works/etc.

*Books and TV shows: I do not know much about TV shows encouraging potty training, but I am certain they exist. I've heard rumors of a great one with Daniel the Tiger, but we've never watched that so I cannot confirm or deny its awesomeness. If a favorite character has an episode about potty training, allow them to watch. Better yet, allow them to sit butt naked on their potty while watching it. We purchased the milestone book set from LeapFrog for our oldest when she was about 15 months old (mostly because it included a book about becoming a big sibling), but it contained a book on potty usage. I wouldn't necessarily say it helped, but it certainly did not hinder the process. There's an ABUNDANCE of books for children and adults on potty training.

*I am not against bribery in parenting. Our kids love junk food, but we don't allow them to have it often. Because of this, junk food is exactly what it should be, a treat. When they make even the smallest strides in potty training, reward them. Cookies, candy, soda...whatever works for your family. We did M&Ms with our oldest and we are currently doing mini cookies with our 21 month old.

*I know people who swear by the 3 day method: keep your toddler naked for 3 days - keep them in one room that is close to the bathroom (or use a training potty that you can move around) - the second they start to urinate, grab them and place them on the toilet. The idea is that they will understand that's where the urine goes (you will be cleaning up a lot of pee, especially the first 2 days). I'm not against this method, but I've never tried it and no child on this planet is fully potty trained in 3 days. Accidents will continue to happen for quite some time.

*Underwear: purchase undies with their favorite character(s). You can either offer them up from the beginning as incentive to try or tell them they cannot wear/receive them until they start making strides in their potty training.

*Potty training is stressful for both parents and children. Do not make it worse by adding unnecessary rules, requirements, etc. For example: if (s)he wants to use half the roll of toilet paper after peeing, go right ahead. You can get into logistics of toilet paper use, wiping and so forth after they have gotten the hang of it.

*This is mostly just opinion/personal preference, but it rang true in our household: do not use a training potty and then expect them to easily and quickly transition to the real toilet. Purchase the removable lids for your toilets and supply your toddlers with a step stool. You do not want to basically start potty training over again when it's time to transition to the actual potty. Additionally, this prevents you from having to carry a potty around with you everywhere you go (does not sound like fun to me) because they will be comfortable using toilets at other locations/homes.

*Put them on the potty even if they have said they already peed in the diaper. My 21 month old will pee in her diaper and then immediately tell me what she's done. I STILL place her on the potty and 9 out of 10 times, she was not finished and will complete the process on the toilet. Cookie earned!

*Do not get upset!! Kids read our mannerisms, tone and so much more. If we sound defeated when they have an accident, they will feel defeated and give up. We do not chastise for having accidents; simply encourage them to try again next time for that reward. They will not be fully potty trained for a while, so there's no need to get frustrated over accidents. My 3 and a half year old still has accidents every 3 months or so during the night. No big deal. The sheets probably needed to be washed anyways. I calmly remind her to take her cute, little tushy to the bathroom if she needs to pee at night (make sure you have night lights and if need be, keep doing Pull-Ups for as long as needed).

*Some noticeable hints that they are ready for serious potty training: they can tell you they have pooped or peed in their diaper (through speech or other methods); they are hiding or leaving the room to defecate in the diaper. Please be prepared for a lengthy process. If you are not willing/able to invest the time in potty training than you have a bigger problem at hand.

*Did I mention praise? I cannot reiterate it enough. SING, DANCE, CLAP, CHEER, THROW A PARTY, anything! Positive reinforcement is key!!

*Lastly, allow them to participate. Flushing, washing hands, throwing away their diaper, etc. Anything to get them involved and make them feel as if they are a big kid.

Who's ready to start potty training? Any tips or ideas that worked for your children? Let me know!

(I cannot believe I typed some variation of the words pee and poop about 3 dozens+ times in a post. HA!)

Hanes Academy

When Addy was little, there was no need for a big production about "school." Every day was school time and it was just her and I playing and learning. Now that my sweet Blair is in the picture, things don't flow as easily. I have to designate periods of time during the day for learning, playing, cleaning, etc. We do not and never will have a specific itinerary for the day because that is not real life. Things comes up, schedules change, and I want my children to learn that no matter how many lists you make or schedules you try to stick to, there will more often than not be a change and we must learn as humans to go with the flow.

With that being said, we have officially started "preschool" in our upstairs office and things have been going quite well. We are most often in the classroom first thing in the morning because it is upstairs and it's easy to monitor them while also getting ready for the day. In the afternoon while Blair takes a nap, Addy and I use the classroom for about an hour. And lastly, we use it any other time when the girls ask or we do not have other things that need to be done.

Addy keeps bragging about going to school and how mommy is her teacher and that really excites me and motivates me to continue. Additionally, I've witnessed Addy on more than one occasion assist Blair in her work or try and "teach" her. That has also given me the boost of confidence I needed to know this is the right thing for our family.

Here are some photos of our classroom/office:

We still have furniture to remove including the couch and coffee table. Also, we have more supplies we need to purchase with the most important being a new printer. Our printer is no longer made, which means the ink is also no longer made. This is pretty ridiculous to us because our printer is only a few years old, but I guess technology is always changing and either way, it's an absolute necessity for our lessons. Another mandatory item is another desk of some sort which I have been have not refinished. My intention is for the plastic art desk to become Blair's work space and for my nice wood desk that is unfinished to be Addy's.

Most items were purchased at Target over the last year and more often than not, they were found in the dollar bins. We have also purchased a lot of things from the Dollar Tree. The season, months, weather, etc. board was an idea I found on Pinterest and copied. I still need to complete the number dates for each month, but so far Addy has really been enjoying it.

Our biggest asset over the last 6 months has been our local library. Can you imagine thousands (maybe even millions) of books at your disposable...and they're free??!! What a wonderful thing for taxpayer dollars to go to! If we are focusing on a specific subject for the week, I can go on to the library website and reserve the book(s) needed on that topic. We pick them up and the girls can play in the library or select other non-educational books to borrow. It has been such a blessing and I am incredibly thankful for it. I cannot explain the pride I have in these two little girls who so love books, stories, the idea of books, etc. As a child, I was a horrible reader (I never quite understood the idea of sounding words out). Because of this, I hated reading in all capacities, but especially reading aloud in front of others. Thankfully, my hatred of books did not follow me into my adult life and I now love nothing more than dissolving into a good book. Reading is literally the foundation for ALL learning. If you can read, you can educate yourself on anything imaginable. I encourage all parents, whether homeschooling or not, to read to their children as much as possible. And not just the 20 suggested minutes by educators. Read to them all day, whether in the grocery store or at home. Encourage them to follow along and even participate in the stories. It will not only build the greatest foundation for learning, but it will also allow their imaginations to explore and when a child has an exceptional imagination, they are more likely to play alone so you can clean house or have personal time.

Do not start feeling bad for my kids as if they are punished with school time. They also have a playroom which is honestly a little ridiculous. We recently removed 1/3 of the toys and placed them in the attic because space was insanely limited. And remember, playtime is learning time too. You do not need a fancy classroom to educate your children. I have noticed that the girls are much more willing to give me 30 minutes to workout, 30 minutes to clean, 30 minutes to make dinner and 30 minutes to check emails, make phone calls, blog or have personal time if I have spent the rest of the bulk of my day with them in the playroom or classroom learning and playing together.

**Let me be totally honest that our lives are not perfect. Some days, we do not go anywhere near that classroom. Some days, I let my kids watch an hour of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so I can take a shower and sweep my floors. Some days, we spend 6 hours outside and other days, we do not even look out the window. Life is about balance and nothing will make you realize how important balance is until you have children. A classroom setup isn't necessary for all families and more importantly, it isn't even feasible. But it works for us and we enjoy using it. Never base parenting or educational decisions on the actions (or words) of others. Do what is right for YOUR family!

What are some ideas you have for a classroom? What should I add? Any teachers of lower grades (preschool-2nd grade) have opinions about what you would like kids to know or have a foundation of before entering your grade? :)

Teach My Baby (toddler, preschooler)

My husband and I constantly go back and forth between whether or not we want to do homeschooling. There are pros and cons to both choices and we still have a year and a half before we have to make a definite decision, so we are procrastinating till then. But as my mother-in-law always tells me, "you are already homeschooling." And she's right. When my oldest was about 8 months old, I purchased Teach My Baby from ToysRUs and it is most definitely one of the best purchases I've made as a parent. We used it almost every day and I wholeheartedly believe that it was a fantastic learning device for my sweet girl.



Fast forward 2 years and I began using it again with my youngest. I began to wonder if there were any additional boxes for toddlers and preschoolers by the same brand and was thrilled to find out there in fact were. I purchased them both and the girls each got one for Christmas this past year. We still use them everyday and I cannot begin to describe how amazing these products are and how important they have been in our home. Beyond the educational factor, they are perfect for bonding with baby, toddler, or preschooler. And even though we were never able to use the toddler box with my oldest, she still thinks it is fun to use so she can teach her sister. And both of them still use the baby box, even though they have surpassed that era.

Teach My Baby includes sounds, self, first words and first numbers.



The first numbers package includes finger puppets which have always been a big hit with both girls.



The "self" package includes mirrors, stacking blocks (great for motor skills) and a book.

















Teach My Toddler includes numbers, shapes, colors and letters. (I wish I would have known this box existed when I was teaching my oldest all of these categories. We used a dry erase board everyday for 6 months to learn these subjects. However, that worked just fine as my 2 and a half year old could not only tell you every letter (lower and uppercase), but she could also give the sound(s) they made.)

Each package includes a puzzle, cards and a book. Full disclosure: we have not even started letters with our 19 month old yet. She is doing a fantastic job with numbers, shapes and colors and we are going to master those before we move on to the alphabet package. (Please ignore her band-aid...no actual boo-boo, she just wanted one cause sister had one.)

My 19 month old can easily locate heart, star, circle and diamond. She knows red, blue and yellow without any help and has no issues with counting 1 to 10 on her own. I am positive that Teach My Baby is responsible for some of that success.

Teach My Preschooler includes counting 1 to 100, math, letter sounds/sight words and writing/tracing numbers and letters.

Before we purchased this box, we had already started all of these subjects with our 3 year old, but this has only helped her become more proficient, especially with counting to 100.



The math package, in my opinion, is insanely creative. The addition side using little kids to slide down into the sand pit and the subtraction side uses the same children to jump off the swings.



It was kind of pointless to photograph the package for letter sounds/sight words as the whole package is just flash cards.

The tracing/writing package is without a doubt her favorite and mine as well. We can use it in so many different ways. Tracing numbers and letter (upper and lowercase), I can also place the transparent number or letter on the board, but ask her to draw it just by looking at it (without tracing), we use it to practice sight words and sounding out words, and her favorite part is drawing funny stick figures on it.




You could spend hours on Pinterest or other educational sites trying to think of fun ways to teach all of this information. Trust me, before purchasing these, that's exactly what I did and while the dry erase board was more than capable of teaching my preschooler all she needed to know, sometimes boxes like these can make it much more exciting and certainly less stressful for the parents. As you can see, I highly recommend any or all of the Teach My Baby products. Each box is $40, but for something I've used every day for years now, that's a very small cost.