Frog In Stitches: geek

Showing posts with label geek. Show all posts

Techschooling

I am within that lovely "Xteneal" generation but the cusp of the "tech native" generation. When I was growing up it was odd for someone to have a computer in their home, but I grew up in the home of a computer programmer. Most of my friends and the people I graduated with are not tech natives.

It is interesting to me how frequently people talk about rules on technology but for me they are natural. No screens in bedrooms, computers in public spaces, hiding passwords, etc.

So for me to include technology within my homeschooling was just as natural a breathing. Lil C used to watch YouTube videos in the NICU, much to the horror of some of the nurses.

As he grew we found new tools to teach and connect. Technology has been his favorite of tools but there were less electronic tools as well.

As he has grown we have regularly had to reasses our tools and methods, some more effectively than others.

The past few years we have been using an iPad but this Christmas we changed to Amazon Fires.

We are still learning what works best for us with the new tablets.

The one thing that has remained rather consistent is the use of YouTube to teach new concepts. Daddy C figured out how to set us up with YouTube on our TV making sibling rivalry less of an issue when they are not fighting to watch a tiny screen.

Each week I set a playlist for each day an the topics we will be covering that week. For a sneak peak at our week:

If you checked those links often you would notice certain reaccuring channels such as

Homeschool Pop, Art Hub for Kids,Have Fun Teaching, Jack Hartman, SciShow Kids and others.

With Lil'C requiring EXTREME repetition, this allows for that without driving me insane, due to his TBI he tends to need to memorize before he can understand.

This also means that should we need to school can be accomplished anywhere. Including during a EKG.. and has. Many. Many. Times.

Some of our favorite apps:

ALL of the

Originator Apps and were the first apps added to the new tablets, I didn't even buy them before checking for combabtibility.

To name a few. We have also been working on Google Docs and a few Dupelo apps as well.

We are constantly updating and trying out new apps, even more so with the new tablets. Some transitioned and unfortunately some are not compatible with the new tablets.

What apps do you with your kids? Do they have their own devices, use yours or are not allowed devices at all?

Still Cookin'!

Well today I am 27weeks and 2 days pregnant!!!!!!! I am further than I got with Lil'C who was born at 27weeks 1day. So to celebrate... Coupon code for my etsy shop for my readers!!
I'll leave it till Lil'K makes her appearance or..I run out of stock, whichever comes first.

Etsy Link: StitchinFrog
Coupon Code: KeepCookin

Cleaning Recipies

I have gathered TONS and I do mean TONS of cleaning recipies from alllllllllll over the web. From tons of websites... I feel bad that I didn't include links.. but this is intended to be printed so links wouldn't help much..
You are welcome to share this with whomever, I didn't create most of these and I got them for free so who am I to charge or say who gets them?
So make sure you have a LOT of paper in your printer and print away. If you know of any recipies to add, let me know & I'll add it for everyone :)
Hint: Set your printer on front and back print if you can..
Click me for Recipes

Friday Happy: Cuteness

I have a silly little boy. He just got this jumper from his Grandma last weekend.

Touched out

I have hit a nursing mom phenomenon... I'm getting very, very touched out lately. I about chewed Hubby's head off last night because he wanted to snuggle while watching a movie. He started snoring in my ear... I wanted to rip his head off so bad... Violent... I know.

Have you ever been touched out?

Should have seen the "discussion" this sucker sparked.... *Sigh*

I feel like I'm constantly in-demand..

Hop on~->

DIY Camera softie

No I did not create the original tutorial. I found it here at Pink stitches which I found at Craft Gossip... If you don't know about Craft Gossip, you should! And yes... you may just hate me for showing you.

I made this little orange camera for my niece's 3rd birthday gift. My sister (her mother) is a professional photographer. Her response on seeing the camera? "It says Canon on it because it is well made!" :P Can you tell what brand all her cameras are? :P

Hop on~->

DIY vannilla :)

If you have been reading my blog for long you know that I love DIY... I have another one for you! DIY Vanilla "Extract"!

What you will need....
3-4 vanilla beans
1 small bottle of vodka
1 Med-large bottle of vodka

Take the vanilla beans and splice them down the middle. Drop them in the small vodka bottle and shake.
Make sure the vodka completely covers the beans. Store the bottle in the dark for a few weeks, until the vodka turns dark brown. Use it as you would any other vanilla extract. Use the larger bottle of vodka to re-fill the small bottle after each use, make sure that the beans are never sit exposed to air so that they do not mold. I have been using my vanilla for years and have a friend that has been using hers closer to a decade.
Now... if for some reason you don't want to use liquor.... you can replace the vodka with vinegar. :D

More DIY:
Dish Detergent
Window cleaner
both of the above also have more links for many many more cleaners as well :D Check 'em out if you haven't before!

Make sure you check out the comments on the Dish Detergent, there is a FANTASTIC link for laundry detergent by one of my commenters! :D

I got my beans from Rainbow Grocery but if you need a link... You can go here to get your beans!

Coupon Disaster..

My Attempt at a DIY coupon binder... Fail..

I have been working on creating a simple to use coupon book for my mom.. Seriously.. who isn't trying to save money? I couldn't manage to get a hold of a pocket portfolio so I attempted to make a faux version out of one... yeah.. didn't work

Hop on~->

Friday Happy!

For all of those who require or wish they required meds to get through the day.

Enjoy your Friday!

And another one bites the dust... :(

My Guys

Last Wendsday Big C got word back from the last place he interviewed at.. and pooh.. It was his second interview with them too... Plus it would have been a fantastic fit for our family.. :(
Currently he works as a dishwasher/cook for a local restaurant, barely making min wage...
He has been looking for a good job since shortly after Lil' C was born. He had a job he liked in OK, but then when all hell broke loose, he had to come back to MS to be with us. He has interviewed and sent out resume's everywhere... anytime he gets negative word back I get a text "I hate this state".. It's really eating at him. This one was probably one of the worst, since it was a second interview and he was really excited about the position..

I know he is not a fan of MS (I think my MIL is part of the reason for that) but I was born here... my family is here... Lil'C's hospital and doctors are here... The amount of paperwork it would take to move alone would bury us..
*sigh*
We have talked about moving to OK anyway, but the last time we tried his mom said that we/him could not stay with her because she decided to move an hour or so away from the job.. so he would have no where to live and no money since he wouldn't get paid for 30 days, which would still leave Lil'C and I at my parents with no car..

So...
Does anyone know of a job for a 3 class short of a Bachelor in computer sciences? He does have an associates with many MANY years of food service and customer service? Preferably in MS or a WAH position?

It's a birthday today!

I get strawberry cheesecake every year.. I want these this year!

It's MINE! :D
Last year today we celebrated by me getting to hold Lil'C both of the two times that we were allowed to hold him a day. Big C got to do the same on Father's day that year.
It is crazy how different one year can be. Now I'm gonna go snuggle my miracle. :D

Friday Fun!

A don't know how much more geeky I can make it. DH & I both love Stephen Torrance.

ENJOY!

DIY Nursing Necklace

I have been coveting some nursing necklaces since Lil'C has gotten REALLY REALLY good at removing my glasses. I have such bad eye sight that I do actually walk into walls/poles/chairs/stairs/etc. without them, and he can remove my glasses in about 10 seconds flat. That can become really dangerous.

Hop on~->

Flats Challenge

We only partally praticipated in the challenge. Lil' C did get some flats in his rotation.. Well .. flannel blanket "flats".

Hop on~->

Cloth Diapering in the Hospital

We have already established that I'm a cloth diapering Mama.. really .. it isn't that hard.

The LAST time he ever wore 'sposies.

But cloth in the hospital takes some maneuvering.... The last two times Lil'C has had a hosptal stay (one over night and one for about a week) we used cloth. The time before (his open heart surgery) he used the hospital provided Dry Max Pampers...... OMG... his poor poor bum.. Chemical burn. So I swore then to avoid 'sposies from then on.
So how do you use cloth in the hospital?
There are a few ways.

Hop on~->

Flats Challenge

Lot's of wiggling going on

Next week is the DDL Flats Hand-washing Challenge. For me it could not have come at a better time. Lil' C is cutting teeth. How does cutting teeth and a hand-washing challenge have anything to do with one another? More than you would expect. Cutting teeth causes ALOT of drool... Which in turn causes diarrhea... which causes some BAD diaper rash.. (Seriously... the last time his bum looked like this was when he had to wear Pampers Ultra Dry in the hospital).

Hop on~->

Cloth Diapers, would I do it again?

First time in Cloth, still in the NICU.

When we were pregnant (and before the world changed) I started researching ways to save money, and the most common thing to come up was to go with cloth diapers. I realized how much money is wasted on disposables (or 'sposies in the cloth diapering world). I have never really been a fan of disposable 1-use items. If I use something disposable it usually is something that is used multiple times but if I forget it somewhere, then it's no biggie. I always thought 1-use items were a major waste of money... sposies are a HUGE HUGE waste of money.
Whenever the discussion comes up (usually by me first :P, and second only to breastfeeding!) I usually get the "look".. like "are you nuts woman?"

Hop on~->