Diaper changing activities - Dry Erase fun!

Did you catch my post earlier this week about diaper changing activities? Basically it's a short, easy, CLEAN activity I can rotate through the weeks while changing diapers [or really any other time I need to keep them occupied for a short period of time]. Well this activity utilizes the same 4 page protector pages we used for the sticker activities, but this time instead of giving them sticker pages, I gave them dry erase markers. Make sure to buy the slightly more expensive non-toxic dry erase markers if trying this activity. 

I thought of this because whenever we color, I always give them crayons. Can you blame me though? The idea of marker ink all over the room, child, and mouth is scary, and pens just as bad. I wish kids did not recognize they were only receiving one coloring medium, but they do! Whenever they see pens markers or any other writing implement, instant curiosity takes over as they try to reach one and use it. Of course I swoop in and ruin their fun with the new found toy, but not without feeling bad. Then one day, while in the office supply department in Wal-mart, I saw dry erase markers, and inspiration struck! This might be the perfect way to let them explore a new coloring tool, without the terrible unyielding stains. I did a little research about the toxicity, and found that there is a type of non-toxic dry erase marker that is safe for kids to use. YAY! Dry erase marker cleans easily off of non-porous surfaces, so when their little minds wanted to test the surrounding environment with the markers, I'd have peace of mind knowing I could wipe it down later. It also cleans off of clothes easily so I wouldn't feel bad sending them home even if some of their drawing ended up on their outfit. 

They loved it, and were occupied with them for more than enough time for me to change diapers and prepare for the next activity. 

Look at her holding that marker like a pro! 

They enjoyed the erasable qualities of these markers.

The stickers from before are safely tucked inside the page protectors still.

After a while of coloring on the pages, Emery wanted  to try her skin. As I said double check and make sure you get the non-toxic kind.

She was then surprised that the marker did not wipe off her skin  like it did  with the pages. It does rinse off very easily under water so no worries!

This activity was so easy to set up and the kids could've played with it for another half hour if I hadn't transitioned to a new activity. Such a great, easy activity to set-up if you're trying to get some chores done around the house, or cook dinner, or in my case change diapers! 

Until next time...

Linking up to these fun parties!

Diaper Changing Activities.

As you probably know, I work at a center based child-care facility as the teacher over 18months to 24 months. I am the only teacher over 6 children and the most difficult time of my day is diaper changing times! 3 of my kids are still in diapers, 1 is in the midst of being potty trained which requires supervision in the bathroom on my part, and 2 in underwear. The 3 who sit on the potty go every half hour, and those times usually go pretty quickly and I'm able to leave the other 3 out to play freely with no problems. The problems arise once an hour when I have to get 3 kids to go potty, and change 3 diapers at the same time. I have had days when all heck breaks loose in my room during this time because I just can't entertain, change a diaper, and supervise toilet sitting all at once! Too often these times would turn into a half an hour ordeal of chaos and crying kids.

I had resorted to sitting the more feisty children next to me while I changed diapers, but I did not like doing that because I did not want them to feel punished when they had not done anything wrong [yet] but I also couldn't stop if they decided to push another kid and take their toy while I was in the middle of changing diapers. I discussed the dilemma I was having with one of the moms. She understood where I was coming from because she is an elementary school teacher, and offered to bring in some sticker books that her daughter loved from home to help during these times. From our discussion, it occurred to me that part of the chaos was because they play with the same toys week after week, and though we try to rotate the toys as much as possible, there's only so long you can do that and the children were getting bored.

It was from this that the idea of Diaper Changing Activities was born! I decided that I would come up with some new activities that I could set out for them to explore while changing diapers. Something that was clean, inexpensive, no set-up required, that I could give to each child to encourage exploration and play during these times instead of fighting and mischief.

The first diaper changing activity I gave was stickers. Imade a little booklet of 4 page protectors clipped together and put some sticker sheets in side, and foam stickers on the outside. I handed these out before getting ready to start changing them, and their interest was piqued - just the response I was hoping for. They enjoyed exploring the stickers and moving them around, putting them around the classroom, and I was able to clean everyone up without a hitch. SUCCESS! What a relief it has been to have happy playing children when I am unable to give them my full supervision.

 Here are the 6 booklets I made, real easy and inexpensive and I'll use the booklets for other activities to come. See the dry erase markers? Ya that's another activity that we did...

Having lots of fun putting foam stickers on her arm!

 Checking out the sticker sheets. 

Vivien enjoyed pulling apart the stickers than putting them back on the page.

I can't even express the relief I have experienced since I've come up with this simple solution. I cannot believe it took me as long as it did to think of this. Now at least once weekly I rotate a new diaper changing activity into the mix so they have new things to explore, and do not get bored with the same things over and over. This can easily be applied to trying to cook dinner, clean, or car trips.
Until next time, hope you can find a use for these activities to help make your life a little more healthy.

Linking up to some super parties here...

Guilty Pleasure Sunday

As part of being semi-healthy it is important, nay VITAL, to make sure you enjoy some of those guilty pleasures every once in a while, and not feel guilty about it! For me today it is Reese's Eggs!

Is everyone familiar with this Reese's campaign? Well I whole heartedly agree! I love Reese's and no other peanut butter filled chocolate can even begin to compare to the perfection the Hershey's has achieved. This is especially true for their Easter time special of Reese's peanut butter eggs

Here I present you with the perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio, in the form of an egg. Any Reese's lover like myself already knows the wonders of this simple seasonal candy.

This year for the first time I noticed the Giant Reese's Egg, and being the enthusiast I am, had to endulge myself and have one.

Of course it was delicious, but in the end, the original egg is still perfection in my book. Which is the reason why this last week after Easter Sunday, I went to Wal-mart and bought 16 of those wonderful things for only $4.30. I am not encouraging gorging yourself with that excessive amount of candy all at once, but when I allow myself a break with just one of those things, life becomes a little less stressful, and that is why it is a semi-healthy choice for me to allow myself the guilty pleasure of Reese's eggs this time of year.

Until next time, enjoy those small guilty pleasures, without any of the guilt.

Changes Finale

This is a the third and final installment in my Changes Series. The first two can be found here:
1. Changes
2. Changes Cont...

This series has been about changes I have made in my life, and blog, and the reasons behind them. This is I hope the final major change I will be making which will effect my blog, and so without further ado...

Welcome to Angelyn's Semi-Healthy Lifestyle

I've been thinking about this concept for my blog a while now, but was not ready to fully commit to it. When I originally started this blog I had intended it to just be a personal blog for my friends and family to stay updated with my changing life with Camilo and the start of our own family. However when my engagement with Camilo was called off I had just caught the blogging bug and couldn't quit, but I also couldn't keep "The Riviere Family" [the original name of this blog] because that is no longer the case. However at the time I still was not sure if it was going to be a blog primarily for close friends and family, or if I wanted to try to expand my horizons, so I went with the very generic name of "The Life and Times of Angelyn." 
Now to the present, as mentioned the idea of a semi-healthy lifestyle had been rolling around in my head for a while now, but this would be a blog meant for the masses, and not just those I know personally. This required some commitment to blogging on my part, and of course...a BUTTON! Well as you see, I have made that leap and am now the author of Angelyn's Semi-Healthy Lifestyle! Button and all [which you should grab].

<a href=http://angelynslife.blogspot.com/><span class="apple-style-span"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k620/angelynr91/Button.jpg" /></span></a>

Now to the question, what is a SEMI-healthy lifestyle? Well it is the lifestyle I strive to live, and the key concept to living a semi-healthy lifestyle is moderation. Junk food is not really bad, it is TOO much junk food that is bad. Eating healthy is not difficult nor lack luster, but TOO much is being a health nut, and well that is just not a good thing. TOO much exercise, TOO much sleep, TOO much of anything turns into a bad thing. 
But if you live by the standard of all things in moderation, then you can really enjoy life to the fullest. You can enjoy the benefits of healthy eating and all the fun of guilty pleasures which let's face it, if you did not have any guilty pleasures, life would be difficult and dull. This blog is about lifestyle though, not diets or recipes. So I will be blogging about a variety of topics including: eating, exercising, hobbies, kids crafts, education, relaxing, rewards, anything you need to live your version of a Semi-Healthy Lifestyle. 

GRAB MY BUTTON!

<a href=http://angelynslife.blogspot.com/><span class="apple-style-span"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k620/angelynr91/Button.jpg" /></span></a>

It only took me 2 hours and lots of hair pulling to get it right, but by golly if that ain't the best button you ever did see! 

Please forgive me - 2 hours of struggling with HTML is not good for the sanity. 

Worst week of my life...

Is also turning out to be the best yet for me in blogland! 


First I need a little venting time so feel free to skip the next paragraph. Teachers are ridiculous, ex-fiancées are hurtful, and exams are DREADFUL! Why why WHY would you assign the biggest research paper of the semester to be due during exam week? Is this week not stressful enough? If you loved me so much this past year, how have you already moved on? I have to know every major world event from the 1500's to the present for one test, how does one even begin to study for that?


Did ya skip that? Good, it was painful. Onto why this is turning out to be my most successful week for blogging. The other night I discovered I had received  [I before E except after C and in words that sound like A as in Neighbor...and every other stupid word in the English language that can't be normal. This is why spell check was invented.] My very first Feature over at Delicate Construction and was ecstatic to say the least. Check out my last post to understand what I mean. Now I find out I have been featured AGAIN!!! 

Same post as last time, Raindrops. WOW I could get used to all this special attention ;) 


It makes me so happy to see I may actually be inspiring some people out there. 


Thanks soo much Rachele@Messy Kids! 




I don't know if these pictures will be inspirational in any way BUT I was digging around my old clothes and stuff for some scrap fabric for a project I'm working on when I found a bag with some old costumes in it. Of course I took a trip down memory lane. 

Can ya guess what I was here? A box of nerds! yes it was nerd day at my high school and while everyone else drew on uni-brows and threw on suspenders I sewed these two shirts together, strung a bunch of boxes of mini nerds into a necklace + belt [that got thrown out] put on pair of pink leggings+knee high purple socks and VIOLA! 

This was my 80's costume. My hair was teased that day but don't you just adore that scrunchie!?!

I also found a a Bonnie and Clyde costume I wore to a couples Halloween dance a couple of years ago, but this was midnight when I re-found these costumes and didn't feel like whipping out the stockings and beret. Random pictures I know. 


I don't know how I transitioned from being excited over my SECOND - count them...1...2 - feature, but then again I've been trying to stuff centuries worth of knowledge into my head the past 5 hours so... Until next time, hopefully I'll have a legitimate post for you to read. 

Proudly presenting from Angelyn's half conscious brain...

MY VERY FIRST FEATURE!!!

OHH-EM-GEE

Thank you, Michelle!

I always link up to her Made by Little Hands Monday's [check it out] and this week she featured my Raindrops post.

I'd like to thank my mommy, because without her...*sniff sniff* I wouldn't be here [literally].

And of course the man up stairs. Thank ya big guy!

And finally my little ones, because well they are the ones that actually made the project with their little hands. 

YAY WOO-HOO HOORAH HIP-HIP HURRAY

Hopefully this is not the first and last time I am featured......

Well seeing as I am in the midst of final exams, my brain is fried and no longer functioning properly [as you can probably tell from this silly post] 

so until next time...

grabbing some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzs