The summer before our oldest was going into kindergarten, she expressed a BIG interest in reading. Never having taught someone to read before, we were at a loss as to what to do. Lucky for us, a college nearby was hosting a reading program for different age groups, beginning with 4yo and rising kindergarteners. And so we signed up.
It was a 5 or 6 week program. We spent maybe 2 hours on a Saturday morning there. They provided the materials and a cd. We showed up, paid attention, and practiced during the week. After the class and continued practice, she was reading before she ever went to kindergarten. She was 4 years old. Not only did the class help us work with her, but it sparked in her a love of reading that she continues to possess today.
I hope that if you, or someone you know, has a little one that wants to read – or even an older child that needs or wants help with reading and reading comprehension – you will check out the Institute of Reading Development website and find a class near you. No matter how hurried you may be, the few hours of work that this takes have a lifetime of positive results!
Hurried Homemaker was in no way compensated for this post.
About two weeks ago, I got an invitation to check out the premier of Country Dance for Wii here in Nashville. The invite was noted for “media and industry” so, naturally, I asked about bringing the hub (a singer/songwriter, performer, and record exec) and my kids. Luckily, it was cool. So …
The next week, I loaded the girls up and headed into town to pick up the hubs. We made the short drive over to the Country Music Hall of Fame to check out this new game.
Keep in mind, we do did not own a Wii (more on this in a minute). But the kiddo had played at friends’ houses (since pretty much all of them have one). I just have never been convinced why we needed to own one.
First off, it was a small and intimate presentation with demonstrations by girls who make a mom of 2 try to remember the last time she could wear jeans that tight (and look good in them). It looked like lots of fun, but then again those girls would make anything look fun – the question was, could I do it?
Then, they got the kiddo up to try it out with the PR gal and 2 other volunteers. She did great and then asked me to join in on the next one. I reluctantly agreed. But the baby had other plans – crying for Mommy. And so, I did it … while holding my 2 yo.
Um … Best. workout. in a LONG. time. No joke. (And I only partially say that because I was holding the babe.)
Not only was it a terrific workout, but it was a BLAST! We ALL had so much fun.
They gave us a free copy of the game and we left. What did I do? Dropped the hubs back off at his office, took the kids to Target, and yes … I bought a Wii. Seriously.
I play by myself after the kids have gone to bed as my “workout”. I have seriously already lost a little weight and have begun toning – just from this game!
Here’s a quick video out about the game:
It is LOADS of FUN (and I’m not just saying that because I got a free copy of the game)! It will be available March 29, 2011 in stores – and WalMart will carry a special copy with a bonus track (Alan Jackson’s “Good Time”).
QUICK NOTES:
Songs are great – everything from “Achy Breaky Heart” to “Cowboy Casanova”
Songs are ranked with 1-3 stars for difficulty level
As I mentioned before, we joined our local CSA for fresh, organic, locally grown veggies for the winter. This means a LOT of winter squash! Since we haven’t really included much winter squash in our diets until now, we have tried many recipes. Here are links to my favorites so far (thanks to epicurious.com): SPAGHETTI [...]
I asked Michelle from doudou bebe, one of my favorite online baby boutiques, to write a guest post. She has amazing taste and some fabulous ideas. I love that she decided to write about birthday gifts. And not just any birthday gifts – she is right up my ally with this take on ideas/tips for [...]
Last week was our first long family trip with two kids. We’ve taken the short 4-hour drive to Nashville with both kids, but we haven’t taken a full-fledged trip since our last vacation (which was when we had only 1 kid). I asked around the Twitterverse and FB-union for some tips on traveling with kids [...]
If you are anything like me, you love designer duds for yourself, hubs, and kiddos. And if you’re anything like me you can’t afford them full-price, or even the so-called “sale” price. I have collected a list of sites that are top-notch for buying designer on a budget.
Millions of chemicals seep into our bodies over the course of our lifetime … chemicals that can cause all sorts of harm. As you are probably aware, I am still breastfeeding my youngster and it only makes sense that what I put on and in my body goes to her as well. So, I was thrilled when Jim Kueny from ONEgroup/Miessence contacted me to try some of their products. I had heard about Miessence, but had never tried anything made by them. I will try to break the info in this post down to the essentials along with an overview of my thoughts on the products I tried.
One of my favorite organic clothing lines is Kate Quinn Organics. I got notice this morning that they are having this fabulous (and almost unheard of) sale! Don’t forget, you get 20% off your purchase when you use code hurriedhome20!
Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Passion Spice to use toward beautiful (and affordable) maternity and nursing lingerie to spice up your Valentine’s Day!
Whoa! Kim Crawford Wines says you could win a trip to New Zealand! So cool! I am not sure if you know this about me, but I am pretty passionate about art. My husband is a musician and we strive to surround our kids (and selves) with art of every form! So, when I was asked to tell you lovelies about this contest, it was easy to say “of course!”
