The Potty Chair

When we first started potty training Ellie, we got her one of those little training potty chairs so she could sit on her own. Well, now she is able to get up onto the big potty by herself and doesn't need to use the little potty. So we've taken it out of the bathroom.

I stored it downstairs for a while and then realized that it might still come in handy from time to time, especially since Ellie is in panties full time during the day now. So.... here's a new trick we've found very helpful...

Keep the training potty in the car!

Yesterday we made the 2 hour drive to Billings for Mother's Day. We had the potty in the back of the car and 3 times on the way home Ellie needed to use the bathroom when we weren't ANYWHERE near a restaurant, gas station, rest stop, or even house. (That happens in Montana when you're driving...). So we pulled off the next exit or pull out and she went in the little potty (which we promptly dumped in the weeds on the side of the road - I don't want pee sloshing around my car!) and we went on our way! She didn't have to hold it for another 30 minutes until we found an exit with a bathroom, and we didn't have to try to strip her bare on the side of the road so could go without hitting her clothing.

It's pretty good for emergencies when you're potty training, and worth a try if you're finding yourself putting your kid in pull-ups for long road trips since you might not be able to find a bathroom in time.

Snow Cones

When your yard looks like this on April 24:

I am pretty sure this is the best response:

Snowcones! Made with real snow... It's a pretty good way to make a little girl happy!

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But when Spring gives you snow, make snowcones!

Dinosaur Playground

Remember when I raved about the community park in Livingston? Well, it looks like we'll be getting one of our own in a month! And, much to Ellie's delight I am sure, it will be a dinosaur themed park, called the Dinosaur Playground.





























I can't tell very well from the picture exactly what the play areas will be like, but I'm excited to find out when the park is built!

B is for But...

"But He was wounded for our transgressions." Isaiah 53:5

That was last week's verse. I asked Eliana what "transgressions" were, since that is definitely not a word we use regularly with her. You know what she answered? She told me that a transgression is "when we don't obey God." That's pretty much the sum of it!

So far Ellie's getting the verses in about a week. We start a new verse every Monday and by the next Monday she's got the previous one down. I'm not emphasizing the references too much, though I do review them with her and they are in the songs. So as of now she knows both A and B, Isaiah 53:5 and 6.

It's exciting to see her learning God's word!

Melissa and Doug Magnetic Responsibility Chart

We recently purchased the Melissa and Doug Magnetic Responsibility Chart for Eliana. We are not so much using it as a reward chart as we are a way to keep track of the things she is supposed to be doing every day. And so far, she is very excited about it. I am excited about it because I tend to forget to keep her on a "routine", which means I often forget things in her schedule like brushing her teeth. They are routine for me, but not for her yet, so I'm trying to get to that place. And for her, she gets to put a smiley face down when she does it, so it's exciting and she remembers to do it! =D

There are lots of "responsibilities" included with this chart. They range from things like dishes and homework to no teasing and stop whining. Because there are things we expect Eliana to do all the time ("say please and thank you", "aplogize to someone", "share") I doubt we will ever use those magnets. At least not as part of this chart. They need to be done more than once a day, so I don't know how you would use the smiley faces in conjunction with them. There are plenty of others that we will use, though, as part of her schedule, such as making her bed (which we don't have her do right now) or taking care of a pet (when we someday have one).

Right now our schedule reads:
*Get Dressed
*Brush Teeth
*Empty Dishwasher
*Clean Up Room
*Put Clothes in Wash
*Take a Bath
*Get Ready for Bed

Generally, the first 3 are done in the morning (getting dressed, brushing teeth, and emptying the dishwasher). It is her job to put away the silverware when I empty the dishwasher. Just to explain that we don't expect our 2 year old to empty the whole dishwasher. =D The last 4 are part of her bedtime routine. Cleaning up her room, putting her clothes in the wash (really, putting them in the hamper in the closet when she takes them off for her bath), taking a bath, and getting ready for bed.

If nothing else, I hope this chart will help me be a little more regular about her routine, and help her learn that routines are important and good for helping us make sure the things that need to be done get done.

As for the set itself, I think the wood and magnet quality seem to be good. I have yet to be disappointed by a Melissa and Doug product as far as quality is concerned, and this isn't any different. As mentioned above, I think some of the "responsibilities" are a little odd given that they shouldn't be a once a day thing, but then maybe everyone doesn't expect their children to be polite all the time and once a day will suffice. Who knows. I do sort of wish that they had put the chart on the bottom panel and the storage panel on the top so that I could stand the chart up like an easel instead of hanging it. It's too heavy to hang on a fridge (I can't find any magnetic hooks that are strong enough to hold it), and I don't really know of another good place to hang it. So I do wish that were different in the design, just for versatility. Overall, though, I'm pleased with it so far.

Pictures from Pizza Night!

These two little people made pizza yesterday! =D We had a blast. Ellie helped me dump in the ingredients for the dough, and then I divided the dough into 3 balls to make individual crusts for each of us. Ellie got to roll out her own.



Getting ready to roll!









Putting the pizza crust in the oven! Mmmm!



3 little pizzas, one for each of us! Ellie made hers a heart. =D She was very excited about her heart pizza.



Made with LOVE! Mwaaa!

Pizza Night

Ellie requested pizza for dinner tonight, so I guess that's what we're doing. Today is a stay at home day (which was planned anyway, but especially with all the snow and icy roads!) so we'll be making the pizza together. It should be fun! Maybe we'll make the crusts together during the day and bake them, then let everyone put their own toppings on for dinner. That sounds good!

Now I guess the question is... what do we have for toppings? I haven't done a survey of the pantry/fridge since I got home from TX, so...

Toppings:
* Spinach
* Feta
* Greek Olives
(Those sound like they'd  make a good pizza for Leif!)
* Frozen peppers
* Canadian Bacon
* Onions

I really wish we had some pineapple! But alas, the pantry has none. I guess it goes on the grocery list!

So maybe Ellie and I will have Canadian Bacon pizza and Leif can have a yummy Greek pizza. I'm not big on spinach on my pizza or I'd have it too. I will puree some spinach and "hide" it in the sauce, though! =D