Bereishis and Noach Curriculum Roundup

I hope you all had a wonderful Tishrei! Yes, we made it, and here's a virtual HIGH FIVE from me to you :)

So now its time to get back into Morah Mommy zone... so I put together a bunch of resources and idea's for learning about Parshas Bereishis and Parshas Noach... hope its helpful!

Montessori Activities for Chumash Bereishit

{Click Here}

The Six Days of Creation Activity Pack

{Click Here}

Parshas Bereishis Sensory Tub

{Click Here}

Parshas Noach Activities

{Click Here}

My Noahs Ark Activity Pack

{Click Here}

Cheshvan Calendar Markers

{Click Here}

Blank Monthly Workplan for Holidays and Parshah

{Click Here}

Good Luck and have a fabulous week!

Always,

Keeping your Cool because This Too Shall Pass

Yesterday was hard. Not quite sure what was in the air, but it seemed as if each one of my kids took turns having a melt down, every hour on the hour, and pressing each others buttons all day. The best part was around 2pm when the laptop decided not to work and I couldn't get a video on for them to give myself an hour of sanity so they all started fighting over the iPad. Throw in the fact that I barely slept the night before because one of my kids developed some strange blisters on her feet that Thank G-d are now getting better and WHAM, you have yourself a very very very (did I say EXTREMELY??) difficult day.

At about 3pm, my hubby was able to swoop in to save the day by taking all the kids out for about 2 hours so I could reclaim my sanity and put everyone to bed without going completely nuts.

Throughout that entire morning my babysitter/mothers helper was here to witness the chaos. Through each tantrum and fight I would make eye contact with her while she was folding laundry or with my little ones and give her a smile and a look like, 'what on earth is going on here today?!?!' Before she left to go home, around 1pm, she asked me in her broken English, "how you stay so calm? how you keep a smile on your face? how you do it?"

I pretty much told her (in my broken Spanish) that yelling and screaming at the kids really wouldn't do much to help the situation. Walking around with a pout probably wouldn't help either. But breathing deeply and telling myself over and over and over (and over) again that 'This Too Shall Pass' and this is just one hard day that will ultimately end by 7pm when the little rascals were all in bed really helps.

And guess what? After a really good nights sleep last night, I woke up this morning to the sounds of my kids playing. They were all doing their own thing, minding their own business. Breakfast was a breeze, school was fabulous, the kids were literally amazing. The laptop worked, I got to take a nap, they all played outside all afternoon, had dinner, took baths and hopped into bed. It was the most peaceful, most amazing day.

I always marvel at those moms with older kids who 'miss those days when the kids were younger' and I'm like, SERIOUSLY? You miss the tantrums? and the fighting? and the lack of sleep? But then I realize that bringing up kids is a lot like child birth. You really do forget (block out?) the hard times and remember the really great times. And apparently this whole parenting thing doesn't get any easier.

So next time you are having one of those really hard days, just breathe. Tell yourself a hundred times, this is one day and it will pass. Just get through it.

And with that, I will bid you all an easy fast, may you all be inscribed in the book of Life and have a happy, healthy, wonderful and sweet New Year!

Always,

Yom Kippur Mini Book and Coloring Page

Click Here to download and Print a Yom Kippur Coloring Page.

It is a great activity to color in the dots inside the Hebrew word Yom Kippur with Q-tips and paints.

Click Here to download and Print My Yom Kippur Mini Book.

My son has started reading so I made this little Yom Kippur Mini Book for him. I made some of the words in a lighter gray for him to trace to practice his English handwriting (not a favorite activity of his to say the least!). 

Here's to a wonderful week and an easy fast!

Always,

Tap into Rosh Hashanah- a cute Rosh Hashanah Video for your Kids!

Adorable Rosh Hashanah Mobile

Okay, I made this for my kids last night and gave it to them to do today while I baked a bunch of Challahs. I didn't know it when I made it, but not only did they LOVE doing this, but it baught me like 45 MINUTES of time to bake!

Here it is with instructions, enjoy!

Rosh Hashanah Mobile- Click Here to print it out
1. Make sure to print it out on card stock or at least glue it onto some harder paper. You can also just laminate it if using regular paper.
2. Color each picture and explain how each picture connects to Rosh Hashanah
3. Cut out each picture including the Rosh Hashanah sign
4. Using a hole puncher, punch a hole at the top of each picture (you dont need to use every picture, up to the kids)  and punch holes in the circle on the Rosh Hashanah sign
5. Using string or yarn, tie it to each picture and connect it to the sign. Tie string to the top of the sign to hang it up on the wall. My 4 year old got frustrated threading the yarn through the holes so he just taped the yarn to each picture. It all worked out!

 Have fun and Happy Yom Tov prepping!

Thank You

When I started this blog just under four years ago, I only did it to document all the things I was doing with my kids as I entered this new world of Homeschooling.

As the years and months went by, it has evolved into this really wonderful place for me to share so many things with all of you, not just our Arts'n Crafts projects, but our experiences, my personal feelings and thoughts and so much more.

To all my wonderful readers, I know many of you personally, many of you virtually. We have developed many special friendships and your positive emails and comments constantly put a smile on my face.

The nice thing about blogging is that it really makes you feel like you are not alone. That you are not the only mom on the planet who gave her kids cereal for dinner, twice this week!

I often get emails thanking me for my printables and asking me why I don't sell them instead of just giving them away for free.

My husband, who has been my number one fan and supporter in our Homeschool journey always tells me, "Why charge 99 cents for a booklet or worksheet and have 100 people buy it for their kids, when if you give it away for free, you can give a 1000+ Jewish kids the opportunity to enjoy it?"

So after much thought, and with so many people 'offering' to pay for my printables (!) we have put up a Donate button on the Left under my bio. Yes, your contribution is very much appreciated, but  I will always continue to share whatever I do with my kiddos with you for free, because it just feels good to do that.

So here's a virtual hug from me to you, for your support, your comments, your wonderful e-mails that I really appreciate so much and for continuing to read and follow my blog, which just makes me more and more excited to keep on writing and posting.

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy, healthy and sweet New Year! May Hashem bless you with lots of patience and strength, with lots of energy, with the ability to find the humor in many difficult situations, and to see the the good in all situations.

Shana Tova uMetuka!

Always,

Keeping things Fresh and Exciting

Has it ever happened to you that one of your skirts or shirts goes missing in the back of your closet somewhere and you don't see it for months, in fact you completely forgot you even had it. Then one day, while cleaning out your closet, you come across this skirt/shirt and remember how much you liked it and now its almost as if you have a brand new piece of clothing in your closet and you're so excited to wear it?

Well, we can apply the same idea to our kiddos and their toys.

Since most of us are home for a big chunk of the day with our kids, their toys, books and games can get pretty old pretty fast.

So here are some good ideas to keep things fresh without having to break the bank...

If you have the space, get some plastic containers with lids from Walmart or even Bankers Boxes and put away a BUNCH of toys, books, puzzles and games and separate them into Holidays or months. Don't forget to label them and have them easily accessible.

This way, at the beginning of each month or Holiday season, you take down your box and the kids have a bunch of fresh goodies that they probably haven't seen for a long time, making it super exciting as if its brand new. For each box, you can put the appropriate things inside pertaining to that particular time of year, and like this it is also out of your way the rest of the year.

In regard to a Shabbat Box, you can change it up more often as they use it every week, and put in Shabbat appropriate things like board games, card games, new books (from the Library or home) and any other goodies that they will enjoy.

Of course if they have certain things that they play with all the time (Legos, wooden blocks, favorite dolls) then you are not going to hide it... but look around at the things that just seem to sit there and collect dust. Take it, put it away for a while and I can guarentee that one Shabbat afternoon if you randomly bring it out, chances are it will keep those little tykes very busy as it will be like something new to them. And if they are still not excited about that toy, give it away to someone who will enjoy it.

Also, by having this system, as you come across cool things through out the year on sale or recieved as gifts, you can put it in the appropriate box and by the time its time to open that box, you will have built up quite a collection without even realizing it. Example, a friend gives you a zoo puzzle that her daughter outgrew, put it in your Rosh Hashanah box and save it for that time of year for Parshas Noach or Days of Creation.

This is a win win as it limits the amount of clutter in your home and saves you money on buying new things.

Would love to hear how you keep things 'Fresh and Exciting' in your home!

Have a wonderful week,
Always,