Tuesday Tidings-Kid's Menu

One of the many blessings of being a homeschooling family,

is getting to each lunch at home together daily.

Not only does it allow us to enjoy each other's company,

it fosters a feeling of independence.

My son is learning how to make real food

and becoming more responsible for his own choices.

I found a way to make it easier for both of us

so that we can enjoy our family noontime meal.

 

A simple menu was printed up

with most of the dishes he enjoys on a regular basis.

Taking into consideration his multiple allergies,

the selections are all safe for him to eat.

He just has to pick one.  

It's posted right next to his seat at the table.

I had to add my own twist to the menu.
I'm like that...

What a blessing to be able to spend so much time
with my favorite person in the world.
 The menu gives me one less thing to have to decide
and gives him a feeling of control
about his own health and well-being.
It's a win-win! 



Organize It! link party

Legos, Organized

If you haven't checked out our "Meet the Family" tab
or the "Legomania" tab on the home page, 
you may not realize how important Lego 
is in this household.
We have a major Lego Master living in our midst.
I'm not kidding, this kid can build.
 (It ain't braggin' if it's true.)

Not only is he creative beyond belief,
it's one of the few things 
that he can concentrate on for hours
without being distracted.  
There are times when he doesn't even want to stop
to eat a meal or take care of other needs, 
if you get my drift.
He sometimes reminds me of Fred MacMurry
in The Absent-Minded Professor.  




We're all about encouraging gifts, 
talents and interests.
Our home is however, small by comparison.
Lil' Guy has his own room, but no designated area
in which to produce his amazing creations.
We wanted to not only give him a building sanctuary,
but allow him to keep everything orderly 
so that he could find exactly what he needs 
to bring his ideas to fruition.
(And let's face it, the lack of organization was driving me nuts!)



 

Our first solution was this set of containers,
which are garage bins that traditionally house
screws, nuts and bolts.
They held all kinds of bricks,
solids, specialty parts, wheels, just everything.
It worked well for a while,
but we needed bigger containers for some items
which he uses for his detailed innovations. 
 Plus, I didn't like them being on the floor.




So we hung them on the wall, 
giving him floorspace on which to work.
Still not an ideal set-up.

A couple of rolling bins were purchased
and placed underneath the overhead bins.
I needed to come up with something better,
more efficient that would still give him the room
he needed to create, build and explore.


At a visit to The Container Store while on vacation,
there were several options for Lego storage.
They might be efficient for some folks,
but they just weren't practical 
for our Lego craftsman.
We came up with a different solution
that happened to be much more affordable.

Four of these drawered bins were purchased 

and two were placed next to each other.

The top four drawers 

give the solid-colored bricks a home.

Each drawer was labeled.

There's still room to grow.

The lower drawers hold larger items, 
like these base plates.

We're still using the garage drawers.

 When the solid bricks were transferred 

to the new bins,

it allowed us to use these for the specialized parts.

They're off the floor and within easy reach.

He's got his own names for these pieces,

so he knows exactly where they belong.

We even have a few empty bins 
in case we have an overflow
(and you know there will be).

   
 Wheels were one particular part that were taking up 
lots of these little bins.

They come in various sizes, 

some of which barely fit in the smaller bins.

So we used one of the larger drawers 

on the new cabinets to contain them all.  

It's easy to see them all 

because they're not so crowded.

 

Need wheels?

We got 'em!

The other part of the solution was to give him a building surface.

We got this door at  

Habitat for Humanity's ReStore for $12.

Big K cut it to fit the space and VOILA!  

Instant worktop.

It fits easily on top of the rolling bins,

and with the smaller cabinets right on top,

everything is in one place.

The exercise ball gives him a place to sit

and helps with kids who are restless or fidgety.

It may not look like it, but it's SO comfy.

His room has been rearranged a bit,
which will be featured in an upcoming post.
It feels good to have accomplished this task.
He's able now to have a workspace 
and everything he needs right at his fingertips.
Let the building begin!

 


 

Master Closet, Organized

 It's been an organized frenzy around here lately.

Sometimes I just get that urge to purge

and tweak our storage systems.

One thing about keeping an organized home,

you can always improve on your methods.

The master closet was revisited this weekend.

   

Clothes had already been donated,

so just a bit of tidying up was in order.

These crafting supplies were moved 

to one of the shelves.

Now two pairs of shoes occupy the space.

 The air mattress kept for (rare) company was resting

on a crate that holds the collection 

of Bookswap books.

They were relocated to the shelves 

directly next to this area.

Shoes that aren't often used go here.

Everyday shoes are kept on a handy shoe rack

next to the front door.

These shelves were rearranged 

to better fit the contents.

This system has adjustable shelves

so that you can customize it to your needs.

Now the air bed and the files for Mimi 

use the space more efficiently.

Here's where the files were,

along with Big K's handheld Sega.

(Don't mind all of his Lego sets.)

The Bookswap crate fits better here.

Most of the Lego kits will be sold,

so the floor will be clear.

Behind one of the closet doors, 

we installed a linen shelf.

This houses the sheets and towels for the master area.

Linens for the other bedrooms 

are kept in a hallway closet.

 

A few things were added to a half-empty bin.

These clear containers are great to see 

what you have at a glance.

 The shelves are full, but not stuffed.

As this closet doubles as our safe room 

in case of bad storms,

 our emergency kit is kept here, 

along with a flashlight.

With the air bed and an extra blanket, 

all that's needed is to

carry in a few snacks and water.

We have a hand-crank radio 

that will also be stored here.

While hurricane season doesn't start until June 1st,

it's never too early to be prepared.

~I keep this quote hung by my dresses.
It reminds me as I get ready for the day
to enjoy and cherish each moment.~

Purging and organizing are continuous efforts.

When a new and more efficient space is created,

the sense of accomplishment is its own reward.

The time spent organizing saves time in the long run

for doing things more pleasurable.

Lost time is never found again.
-Proverb


Organize It!  link party