Using velcro to attach items.

A friend of mine gave me a very helpful hint and I am sharing it with you. When ever you put velcro on any item always put the rough side on the item and the smooth side on the item that you are attaching it to.

Example: I down load a lot of things from a web site I like to go to. So I have printed a file folder game. I take the soft side of the velcro and attach that to the file folder and put the rough side on the pieces that attach to the game. The reason for this is when you want to work with your child the pieces can attach to a rug or a flannel board.

Also if you use velcro with other things and all your things are done the same you can interchange them and use them with other things.

Debra

Color Matching Blocks and Cards....

When we were dealing with all the...Hope needs to be doing by....we had
been told that one of the things that Hope was not doing that she
needed to be doing was to match her colors. So we asked and they said
that she would be given a block and then she would need to match it to
the color. So I went to the local chain store and bought some blocks
that were both colored and plain. I also boughtscrapbooking paper and paint that matched it.

The
kids and I sand papered the blocks both the colored and plain and then
painted them with the colors that we needed to learn. I then cut out
and laminated the coordinating coloredcardstock. I made two of them so that we could not only work with Hope at matching the blocks but also the cards.

Here are the pictures...








Hugs
Debra and Hope

Magnetic Paper Dolls....

I just love these and really want to share them with you.

I have used them for most of my children and am so glad to be able to use
them for Hope and not only can you make them, you can now buy them.

How to make them....?

Go
to a store and either buy one of those metal oven mats, a cookie sheet,
or one of those cheap lap trays, you know the kind that you can put
over your lap and eat at when you are to sick to come to the table.

Buy
a paper doll book and punch out the dolls and clothes. Laminate the
clothing and attach the dolls to the metal item. Then laminate it or
use clear contact on it to make it spill proof or at least somewhat.
Make sure you cut off all the "white tabs" that are on the clothes
before you laminate it and then add a piece of magnetic tape on the
back of the clothes. Now you have a sweet way to for a child to dress
and undress their doll and even with a little thicker fingers they can
do this with out having to put those silly tabs on the doll to hold the
clothes on. Plus, usually most paper doll books come with more than one
doll and you can use one on the metal item and one on the fridge. You
have to tape or attach it with something that has no thickness so the
clothes can attach to it. But makes for a fun time.

They also have the ones that are wooden with the magnets in it. I am not sure if these are Melissa and Doug puzzles but I think so. I love these also and now they have "paper doll" puzzles.

Here are some pictures of them...

Bumbo Seat....

Something we found for Hope was a Bumbo Seat. You can find it on line at....www.bumboseat.com. It was a wonderful help at helping Hope learn to sit up. Our Physical Therapist thought it was a good investment for us to make. Here is a picture of Miss Hope sitting in hers.



They now have a tray to use for it but when we had Hope in it, we had went to a discount store and bought a wooden lap tray and that was a wonderful fit. It gave us a place to put Hope's things on it and make her sit up to it.

You can now find them at various chain stores or on line at auctions.

Enjoy
Debra and Hope

Handwriting without tears...

Above is a picture of some of the pens, pencils and markers that I have bought for my children. I have fun looking for new things out to use. I have golf pencils and they are wonderful because I don't have to break a full sized pencil in half.

I also found this site through someone andI just love it and love their stuff. It is something for any child. When one of our OT's showed us the program, one thing that she had said was that sometimes the kids with different abilities get all the "fun" stuff. It is nice when a program can help any child. I have the books for pre-k to cursive. This is where I learned to break the pencils, crayons and chalk. If you want to look at the program you can find it at Handwriting Without Tears. I think you will enjoy the site and I just love the wooden letters, the magnetic letters and magnetic writing board and the playdough.

Hugs
Debra and Hope

I like this from my daily devotion....

From Crosswalk.com...this is a devotional that I have sent to my e-mail each day. Tis one just hit me today so thought I would share...

Girlfriends in God

A quote from today....

Successful mothers are not the ones who have never struggled. They are the ones who never give up, despite the struggles. Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” I’d like to add that God is the only One Who is Omnipotent, but persistence and determination while relying on His power brings great results!

Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do no grow weary.” That’s a promise that we all can cling to.

Hope you enjoy...
Hugs
Debra and Hope

High Chair....

We found the Fisher Price High Chair for Hope. It was attached to a chair and the neat thing about it was that it reclined and so that helped us when Hope was eating but not really strong enough to sit up good.

Here is a picture of her in her seat enjoying a sucker with Jason and Jarod, her big brothers.



One other thing, I learned about this also on my board. These moms are wonderful.

Hugs
Debra and Hope