Crafts and Projects · Jobs of a Preschooler · Ramblings

Hands-On Science: Raising Butterflies

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra charge to you if you click on a link and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I greatly appreciate all purchases you make using these links. Thank you!)

A couple of months ago I mentioned how it can be fun to find butterflies and moths while out on a walk.

Today, I thought it would be fun to talk about a hands-on experience to teach your “little scientists” more about caterpillars and butterflies. Raising your own butterflies!

Jobs of a Preschooler- I'm a scientist...

I have used caterpillars purchased from Insect Lore twice now, and we have had positive results both times. (You can find more information about Insect Lore here if you are interested.)

If you do order through Insect Lore, you will receive a butterfly net (which you can use multiple times), a voucher code for caterpillars, and instructions. Once the caterpillars are ordered, they are shipped in the mail to your location. There may be an additional charge to receive the caterpillars.

The caterpillars arrive in a small cup with “food” on the bottom. They stay inside of the cup, eating and growing. Eventually, they form a chrysalis (moths form cocoons) on the top of the cup on an insert. Once all the caterpillars have turned into chrysalises (also known as chrysalides), you must carefully remove the insert and secure it to the top of the butterfly net with a safety pin.

Then, you wait until the painted lady butterflies emerge. Here you can see the insert hanging on the top of the net with some of the butterflies emerging.

butterflies emerging from chrysalis

Here is another picture taken after some of the butterflies have emerged.

butterflies emerging from chrysalis

The second time we did this, the butterflies laid (super tiny) eggs, and we had a bunch of teeny tiny caterpillars shortly after. Although this isn’t a great picture, all of those little lines are teeny tiny caterpillars.

teeny weeny caterpillars

When we were releasing the butterflies, one of them landed on my daughter’s finger.

painted lady butterfly

If interested, ask your local nature center if they offer some kind of a Monarch Butterfly program. You may be able to help tag butterflies, release butterflies, and possibly even take home a caterpillar to raise.

I have talked to some people who have raised monarch caterpillars and then released them as adults with tags. One book my daughters and I have enjoyed looking through that talks about raising monarchs is How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids by Carol Pasternak.

More information about tagging monarch butterflies can also be found on Monarch Watch here.

I took the picture below at a monarch butterfly program my daughters and I attended. I enjoyed watching the caterpillars munching away at the milkweed.

monarch caterpillars on milkweed

What will you learn today?

 

Ramblings · Writing Appearances

Way to Keep Gift Cards Organized

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra charge to you if you click on a link and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I greatly appreciate all purchases you make using these links. Thank you!)

My family rarely eats out, but when we do, we often end up at Culver’s. As a result, I have learned some money saving tips for eating out at Culver’s. I wrote about those tips in a guest post for Money Saving Mom, which has been published.

If you are interested in learning how you can save money on your visits to Culver’s, you can check out the guest post entitled 6 Ways to Save Money at Culver’s.

If you are not familiar with Culver’s, you may not know what Free Scoop coupons or Scoopie Tokens are (which I mentioned in the tips). So, here is a picture.

They are on the side of the bag of every kid’s meal at Culver’s. The Free Scoop coupon can be used for a free scoop of custard immediately, or it can be saved for a future visit. It’s nice to be able to go for a small treat every now and then and not have to pay anything out of pocket, so I like to save these.

I also hold on to the Scoopie Tokens because ten Scoopie Tokens equals one free kid’s meal.

In the post for Money Saving Mom, it also says my family uses money set aside for the restaurant gift cards. What it didn’t say is that the money set aside is really cashback bonuses from our credit card.

My husband and I use our credit card for every purchase that can be put on the credit card. With that being said, we stay within budget and pay it off as soon as we get the bill. Neither of us are big spenders, so we aren’t really tempted to spend all kinds of money on useless items. We have never had a late fee, interest payment fee, or any other fee associated with credit cards. We also do not spend money simply for the cashback bonuses – that would be really stupid!

This past year while we were on vacation was actually the first time we spent money at a restaurant in years without using cashback bonuses. Before that, we didn’t go out to eat unless we had cashback bonus money or gift cards to use to pay for our meals.

For a while, I kept gift cards and restaurant coupons in an envelope that stayed in the center console of our car. After a while, it made more sense to keep the envelope in my purse so that it was always with me.

Unfortunately, envelopes tend to fall apart rather easily.

So, I recently decided to upgrade. I purchased the Karlling Slim Minimalist Soft Leather Mini Case Holder Organizer Wallet for 20 Credit Cards (affiliate link).

It’s available in dark blue, pink, orange, green, and black. I chose black. Although I haven’t had it for very long, I do like it.

It’s small and fits in my purse easily, hopefully will last longer than an envelope, and holds all of my gift cards (and Culver’s coupons).

I wrote the total amount remaining on each of the gift cards on the front of them with permanent marker. I hope to continue to update the totals as needed using a permanent marker, so I can easily see how much I have available on them.

The card holder also snaps shut, so the gift cards and coupons can remain in it without getting lost. I chose to put the gift cards in alphabetical order, which makes it easier to find exactly what I am looking for!

Although, it may be a pain having to move them around when I use them or get new gift cards – I guess I’ll see how well having them in alphabetical order works.

Do you have any tips on how to keep your gift cards organized?

 

 

 

Ramblings · Writing Appearances

Fine Motor Paperclip Activity

I had no idea my guest post about 25 tower building supplies without blocks would lead to me becoming a monthly contributor for Hands On As We Grow. But it did over a year ago!

I had wanted to promote my book Jobs of a Preschooler and thought it would be fun to write a guest post for a crafty preschool website about an activity that could correspond with Jobs of a Preschooler.

Jobs of a Preschooler- I'm a builder...

“I’m a builder…” from Jobs of a Preschooler.

Enter the idea for the building supplies without blocks. I happened to discover Hands On As We Grow as I did a web search and submitted a query for a guest post. I was delighted when my query was accepted and my post was published.

I was surprised (and excited) when I was offered the opportunity to become a monthly contributor. I could have reached out to any number of other website owners, but I didn’t. Hands On As We Grow could have been closed to submissions, but it wasn’t. The timing was perfect. I thank God for this wonderful opportunity I have been provided.

With that being said, another post of mine about a simple fine motor activity with paperclips has been published on Hands On As We Grow. You can read all about it here.

paperclips around paper fine motor activity

For more posts about Hands On As We Grow writings, check out:

 

 

 

Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles · Ramblings

20 More Gifts Under $20 for Pickle Lovers

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra charge to you if you click on a link and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I greatly appreciate all purchases you make using these links. Thank you!)

July is National Pickle Month!

To celebrate, I have put together a list of 20 more gifts under $20 for pickle lovers. You can check out the first list of 20 gifts under $20 for Pickle Lovers that I posted for National Pickle Day last November if you missed it.

These are items I found by doing an online search and have not seen them in person. So, please do your own research before making a purchase to determine if it is truly what you want.

Pickle Shirts for All Ages

I Am Here to Eat All of The Pickles T-Shirt 

This pickles t-shirt is currently available in black, navy, and brown for men, women, and youth. It is also currently available in dark heather for men and women.

Dancing Pickle T-Shirt 

This dancing pickle t-shirt is currently available in black, navy, royal blue, dark heather, and purple for men, women, and youth.

Dill With It Pickle T-Shirt

This t-shirt is currently available in black, white, kelly green, olive, and lemon for men, women, and youth.

Pickles. Sleep. Repeat. T-Shirt 

This t-shirt is currently available in black, asphalt, dark heather, heather grey, and purple for men.

This Situation Calls for Pickles T-Shirt

This t-shirt is currently available in black, navy, royal blue, dark heather, and grey.

Dill With It Short Sleeve Romper Onesie

This short sleeve romper onesie is currently available in 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 2T.

Short Sleeve Pickle Onesie

This short sleeve pickle onesie is available in newborn, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months in a variety of colors including black and white, football heather and smoke, pink and heather, ringer heather and smoke, smoke and granite, white, white and black, blue and heather, white and heather, heather and hot pink, heather and red, heather and royal, heather and smoke, retro heather pink, retro heather royal, retro heather smoke, and vintage heather and navy.

Pickle Jewelry

Dill Pickle Jar Pendant

This is a handmade pendant for a necklace.

Pickle Earrings and Necklace Set

These pickle earrings and necklace are handmade.

Pickle Flavored Foods

Dill Pickle Sunflower Seeds

These dill pickle sunflower seeds can be purchased as a twelve pack.

Dill Pickle Cashews

These dill pickle cashews are available in a resealable 5 ounce package. It appears it is currently only available to Prime Members.

Dill Pickle Almonds

These dill pickle almonds are available in a 12 ounce package. It appears the dill pickle almonds are only available to Prime Members at this time.

Pickle Pops

These pickle pops are available in three packs of six for a total of eighteen.

Dill Pickle Popcorn Seasoning

Season some popcorn with this dill pickle popcorn seasoning.

Dill Pickle Flavored Kettle Brand Krinkle Cut Potato Chips

These are currently available in a pack of six.

Pringles Dill Pickle Flavored Chips

These are currently only available to Amazon Prime members.

More Pickle Merchandise

Pickle Bandages

It appears as though this tin includes 15 pickle bandages.

Dill Pickle Mints

These mints are contained within a collectible tin according to the description.

I’m Kind of a Big Dill Socks

Keep your feet warm with these pickle themed socks.

Pickle Toiletry Bag

Keep all of your toiletry items inside of this pickle bag that is 7.87 X 2.36 X 3.5 inches.

Plus One More

Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles by Brigitte Brulz

Yes, I had to include the book I wrote, but I saved it for number 21 since it was also on the last list I created.

Here is the description of the book: “A young boy who really likes pickles wants to grow pickles in his garden, but he is surprised by what he discovers – there are no bread and butter pickle plants or dill pickle trees. He learns a lot as he and his mom transform seeds from the store into yummy pickles to enjoy on everything from hot dogs to ice cream. Well, maybe not ice cream!”

Even if you don’t purchase the book, you are still welcome to print free coloring pages, activity ideas, and a 21 page teacher’s guide on Fun Extras.

Happy National Pickle Month!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journals · Ramblings

Reading Journal Proofs Have Arrived

I briefly mentioned in a previous post that I had created reading journals recently and was waiting for proofs to arrive.

Well, they arrived! My daughters were really excited when we received the box and couldn’t wait to open it. I thought the reading journals looked really nice on the computer when I had created them, but I was a little nervous to see how they would look in person.

It didn’t take long for us to tear open the box and see.

Reading Journal Proofs

I think they turned out beautifully. Obviously, it would be nice if there wasn’t a large strip across the middle of each of them that says “Not for Resale”, but that will not appear on the actual copies once they are published.

My cat was also eager for the box, which he fell asleep inside of shortly after we set it on the ground for him.

For those of you who don’t know, proofs are physical copies to view before publication. It isn’t necessary for me to order proofs before publishing them, but I prefer to order them so that I can see them in person to make sure there aren’t any errors that I may have missed seeing when they were displayed on the computer.

I’m glad I did! As we were looking through the journals, one of my daughters noticed that the lines were different on one page.

Oops! I had intentionally created the journals with two different line spacing options: wide ruled lines for little readers/writers

and thin ruled lines for older kids, and I accidentally missed changing the lines on one of the pages.

Inside of Reading Journal

I carefully previewed all of the rest of the pages making sure everything else was accurate. Although it wasn’t necessary, I did decide to change a few words I had included within a letter to the reader at the beginning of the journal.

I also decided to add an extra page at the end to show all of the options I have created for the reading journals. It took me a little bit to format that page the way I wanted it, but I finally got it.

The page on the left was my first attempt, which I didn’t like very much. The page on the right is the page that will be added to the updated reading journals.

As shown in the picture, there will be seven different cover options to choose from for the thin ruled journals and five different cover options to choose from for the thick ruled journals for a total of twelve reading journal options.

They both include covers with a castle, frogs, teddy bear holding a book, kitten under a book, and paint. The thick ruled journals have a rectangle on the cover for kids to write their names. The thin ruled journals have additional cover options that include keys (as shown on one of the proofs) and colored pencils.

These large 8.5″ x 11″ soft cover reading journals have space to record a total of 100 books. Other than the spacing options, the insides are practically the same.

The interior contents include:

  • Total of 124 pages
  • A page to write the name of the journal owner
  • Personalized Table of Contents – journal owner writes the title of each book on the line next to its number to easily refer back to specific books
  • Letter to reader that explains each section, what the different numbers of stars mean for rating books, the difference between fiction and nonfiction books with examples, and some ideas to include in the section to write additional thoughts and comments
  • 100 pages to record 100 different books with space to:
    • write the book title, author, and number of pages
    • color in stars for a personalized book rating
    • fill in a circle next to the word fiction or nonfiction
    • write the date started and date ended
    • write any additional thoughts or comments about the book
  • Pages to record new words and definitions
  • Pages to write the titles of books to read in the future

I have already updated the files, which my cats “assisted” with. See how helpful they are?

Now I am waiting for the two updated proofs I just ordered. One will have wide ruled lines with the kitten cover and the other will have thin ruled lines with the colored pencils cover.

I look forward to sharing pictures of those when they arrive. I’m one step closer to getting them published.

Do you record books you read? If so, how?