Tag: family

Posted in Blog

Ways I Hid Learning in Kid-Approved Activities

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

Our school district has made classwork available for the kids since after Spring Break and throughout the summer. I’m very appreciative of the educational support, but less for the worksheets and more for the learning objectives. I use those to figure out what topics to incorporate. I have been looking for ways to integrate key concepts from PreK and 1st grade into our daily fun as a way to spend time together. It’s all part of my strategy to get them sick of spending time with me so I can work later in the day. Here are some of our favorites.

Writing Journal

We started with a blank journal where the kids could write about whatever they please, but I quickly learned that my now rising second grader performs better with more direction. To help with this, I wrote prompts at the top of each page. “What makes a good friend?” “What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Draw it.” “If Batman and the Hulk battled each other, who would win?”

Flashlight Word Search

I printed flashcards of sight words and other vocabulary the kids are learning and hid them around their bedroom, turned off the lights, and had my little ones hunt for them. Once they found one using a flashlight, they had to read it to me.

Mr. 4 year old was really into this one.

Math Jump

I want the kids to be able to solve basic addition and subtraction problems quickly to help with higher-level math in the future. To practice, I give them two minutes to answer questions and get across the room. For each right answer, they take a step forward. For each wrong answer, they step back. You have to beat the clock, not your brother. This one was a huge hit!

Sight Word Toss

I used chalk to write a dozens of sight words on the driveway, then gave each kid a bean bag. They had to toss the bag onto a word, read it correctly, and then they’d earn points. They tracked their points in chalk on their claimed part of the driveway. By the end of it, Mr. 7 year old was adding his own words to the game board, so he was practicing writing and spelling too.

Nerf Blaster Phonics

I’ve played this game several times a couple of ways, and it is often requested. Basically, I put sticky notes on the wall and directed the boys to find what I said and blast it. Sometimes I ask them to find a particular letter, a letter based on a given sound, letter blends, or whole words.

Blasting alone is award enough. No need to award points with this game.

Find My Errors

Mr. 7 year old loves this one! I write a couple of sentences and purposefully make mistakes that he has to find. I misspell words, forget to capitalize, or use the wrong punctuation. It’s something about finding mom’s mistakes that makes this really intriguing, I guess.

LEGO Challenges

Mr. 4 year old has done this one several times independently. I give them their LEGO bin and present them with a challenge. My favorite one was when I had Mr. 4 year old build a tower taller than his water bottle that holds a plastic egg. He technically met the requirement by adding a skinny pillar on the tower to push it over the height requirement.

The angle is off here, but his orange and white pillar pushes his truck over the minimum height requirement.

Don’t be fooled though. We don’t do these activities every day, and there is PLENTY of screen time built into each day so we can survive conference calls and work emergencies. These activities were just the favorites we’ve played over the last four months.

Posted in Blog

What’s Made Working from Home and Parenting Simultaneously Work for Us

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

I have said throughout this pandemic response that my family is one of the lucky ones. Sure, the kids aren’t in school, my husband and I aren’t going into the office, and our calendars are bare. But, there is food on the table, money in the bank, love in our home, and the ability to stay in this hold pattern circling normalcy indefinitely. That does make every day fun or easy (though some are both of those).

I have read many articles of other families describing how they parent and work from home, and it sounds like a disaster. Thankfully, we’ve gotten into a good rhythm. Our new normal and daily schedule still look like our days in late March. Here’s why I think it’s worked for us.

  1. There are two parents at home. I acknowledge that benefit has been key to maintaining our sanity (for the most part).
  2. Our jobs (or at least mine) allow for flexibility on WHEN we work. It’s not an issue if I get my work done at 6am or 11pm, just as long as I meet my deadlines and produce high-quality work. Now, that doesn’t negate the need for meetings in the middle of the work day, but at least my focused work can happen whenever works best for our family. Heck, I can even put in hours over the weekend, cutting down on the time crunch during the week.
  3. When I’m with the boys during the day, I’m not working. I block my calendar so meetings can’t be scheduled then. I have informed my teams of my working hours. Everyone is aware of my situation. Folks can call or text me if there’s an emergency, but nothing is typically that time sensitive. Being away from my computer for two hours is no different than being in a long meeting.
  4. Set work priorities and boundaries. I turn down meetings that don’t really need me there. I delegate opportunities that management invite me to participate in if others would contribute more or better benefit. I’m protective of my time and priorities. If an opportunity doesn’t align with my professional goals for the year (which already were selected to cascade from leadership’s goals), then I pass. This is easier said than done and likely worth it’s own blog post.
  5. My shifts with the boys are kid-focused. I use my two-hour shift with the kids to get their school work done, sure, but I’m also giving them A LOT of attention. After two hours, they are done with me and happy to play independently or with each other. This helps make my husband’s shift immensely easier.
  6. We have a routine, so everyone knows what to expect throughout the day. I recognize that my structure and plan can seem rigid to some, but it’s the one thing I feel we can control right now. That, and I know it makes the boys more willing, for example, to focus on worksheets when they always do schoolwork at 9am.

Photo: Picture of all of the worksheets and paper we completed March-June during the school year. Not pictured? All of the online work they did on top of this!

Posted in Blog

Friday Fav: Solo Kid Time

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

One thing I’ve missed from “The Good Times” before COVID was having a bit of time every week solo with the kids. Mr. 4 year old would start school before Mr. 7 year old, so I’d have about an hour with Mr. 7 year old in the AM and 30 minutes or so with Mr. 4 year old many days. It was a nice time to connect with them individually. Well, that time has now disappeared.

To compensate, I’ve been taking walks in the evenings with one of the kids. We determine which child joins me based on whether it’s an odd or even day.

It’s worked out really well so far. I’ve gotten to ask the kids questions and hear how they’re feeling. I ask them questions about being home so much and how they are feeling about their brother, and then I listen to a lot of information about video games. I’ve enjoyed this time together and am happy to learn that the children have adjusted so well to this new normal.

Bonus! My husband gets one-on-one time with the kid that is left at home. Mr. 4 year old helped his daddy organize the garage, which doesn’t sound like a blast, but categorizing objects and cleaning up is one of Mr. 4 year old’s favorite activities. May that forever be the case.

Posted in Blog

Our Deck Area Upgrade

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

Another one of our COVID projects was to update our deck. We’ve been needing to power wash and stain it for years, and there’s no excuse for ignoring it now! My husband had previously procured a power washer as well as a stain we liked, so we had everything we needed without having to step foot in a store.

Previously, our deck looked something like this. It was functional, with the grill and patio table and chairs, but it wasn’t giving off the homey vibe I was going for.


  • “Before” picture
  • Unstained deck (with bonus pup!)

With some elbow grease, a bit of cash, and a few plants, we transformed the space.

“After” picture

Here’s how we got from the “before” to the “after.” Once we cleared everything off the deck and power washed, we let it dry before applying our stain. We used semi-transparent cedar colored stain from #1 Deck. Even the kids jumped in to help. Mr. 7 year old was really into it! Mr. 4 year old stuck to digging up the yard. It was actually a fun family project that only took us a couple of hours, which we luckily tackled in spring before it gets hot and humid by 9am.

Staining the deck

Afterwards, the boys left me to decorate however I wanted. First, I picked up this portable cabinet from Amazon when it was on huge sale. It’s plastic with a stainless steel top and tons of storage. We use the extra space to store dishes, napkins, and utensils that we’d like to use for entertaining outside so it’s always within reach. I also stashed some sunscreen and bug spray for quick application.

I then tried to reimagine the space. I didn’t want to ditch the table and chairs because we do eat outside fairly regularly in nice weather. They just didn’t need to take over the deck. Once I figured that it’s typically only the four of us eating out there, I took the front two chairs away and pushed the table closer to the railing. This opened up the back portion of the deck to make room for the portable cabinet.

Right by the house now is a two-person seating area using the unused chairs from the table. I shopped our basement and pulled up a vintage wine crate with bocce balls in it for an end table.

I added color to the deck with flowers and a huge container of herbs. I topped off the look with a set of smart colored lights from Costco that work with Alexa (a.k.a., the machine Mr. 4 year old sometimes calls mom). They have a bunch of pre-designed settings as well as the option for customized colors all set up on a timer.

We celebrated July 4 in style!

I thought of adding more accessories, like you see in the magazines, but I just don’t see them really holding up in our climate. I have visions of an outdoor carpet becoming moldy or damaging the base of the deck. I love the large iron lanterns that are often placed along stairs or on top of patio tables, but I haven’t seen any that will withstand hours of direct sun or sitting water after a rain.

In the end, I’m really happy with the look we have now. We’ve already had several family meals there, and I’ve sipped a few coffees in private in the early hours on the deck too. I’m looking forward to having friends and family enjoy it with us in the future.

Posted in Blog

Friday Fav: Sort Clothes by Outfit

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

Fridays are laundry days in the Spinapolice household. I always wash and change the sheets and towels and get at least wash the kid’s clothes. With the kids home with us 24/7 now, they get involved in helping strip the beds, move loads, fold, and put away clothes. It’s been great (even though they slow me down)! The return on my investment of time will pay off. (I’m hoping!)

My Friday fav this week is a laundry hack I’ve been doing for years. Instead of folding and sorting laundry by article of clothing (e.g., all of the pants together, shirts together, etc.), I roll outfits together as if I’m packing a suitcase. I put the shirt facedown, fold in the sleeves of the shirt, and then place vertically folded up pants on top before rolling them all together. This method leaves the front of the shirt visible for the kids to see and easily select an outfit.

I’ve been burned too many times over the years where my husband has dressed babies in….interesting…color combinations, so this was my solution. I haven’t seen a need to change it as the kids have gotten older.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Posted in Blog

Mid-Year Goals Review

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

Earlier in the year, I posted my 2020 goals. Whelp, I had no true idea how badly the crap would hit the fan this year, so I’m going to need to modify these a bit. Ha!

  1. Take a family trip to Florida – I just don’t see how a trip to Florida will happen this year. We were hoping to visit during spring break this year, so perhaps we can make it happen in 2021.
  2. Read 25 books – With the extra time at home, I’ve already hit 37 for the year and updated my goal in the Goodreads app to 50. I’ll have to post my recommendations from the second quarter of 2020, but my favorite reads from Jan-Mar are here.
  3. Donate a set amount of money to charity – Thankfully, we’ve donated a good portion of our plan already this year and are on track to meet this goal. I’m thankful my husband and I have reliable incomes that allow this goal to be met.
  4. Go on at least 25 dates with my husband, with at least four of them being to new locations – Well, we got about halfway to our goal before COVID started. In its place, we are occasionally adopting screen-free nights to sit outside on our deck or by the fire pit and talk.
  5. Complete two home projects – Done! Our deck has been stained and redecorated, and we created a mudroom space in the garage. I may attempt to talk my husband into working with me to tackle a few more projects this year.
  6. Complete a 5K race – Ugh, well I was hoping to sign up for a race in May, but the ones I was considering were cancelled. Perhaps this fall?
  7. Floss daily – I’ve officially made a habit of flossing. Finally! Yay!

So, I’m going to choose to take the good with the bad and be happy with what I can accomplish and not focus on what can’t be done. I have an easier time accepting these goals won’t all be met because the cause is outside of my control. There was a time that the lack of control would really get to me, but I’m okay with it in this instance. At least that’s some growth, and that’s really my driver behind having annual goals in the first place.

Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash

Posted in Blog

Our Garage “Mudroom” Redo

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

The one thing I wish our home had but doesn’t is a mudroom. You enter the house from the garage right into the kitchen, and book bags and jackets are thrown on the floor in a heap. We had added some organization by building our command center in the kitchen and utilizing the front entry closet, but our shoes would still be left as a mess in the garage.

Here’s our “before” picture. The original owners moved their old kitchen cabinets to the garage, which was nice for the storage but made it difficult to exit the car without dinging the door. We eventually started shoving shoes into the drawers, but they didn’t always fit well.

With extra weekends at home, we finally had some time to create a drop zone / mudroom space in our garage. I knew I wanted a bench to sit on while putting on shoes, space for storage (for men-sized shoes because someday I’ll have three men in this house!!), and more hooks than I think we’ll need for jackets, book bags, and whatever else.

I spent a lot of time online looking for options and found items like this on Amazon. We had only 34 inches of space for the bench, so our choices were limited and often didn’t report being able to support an adult’s weight on the bench. We entertained the idea of building something custom, but then I remembered to check out IKEA. We ended up getting almost everything from there!

Here’s our new and improved “mudroom.”

  • Check out the dog’s hook!
  • My husband’s shoes are here. My three boys went a bit crazy with the label maker. Ha!
  • The kids’ shoes, extras of mine, and outdoor supplies (like sunscreen and hats) are stored in the black containers. This winter we’ll store gloves and hats too. The hooks are at the perfect height for the kids to hang up their own stuff. I have (hopefully temporary) hooks up for masks.

The whiteboard/cork board combination was gifted to us. Here’s everything else we found at IKEA. I LOVE the dog’s hook and the idea to use the $1.29 trash can as an umbrella holder.

The total (before tax) was $139.23.

Overall, I’m thrilled with what we came up with (and the price tag). I look forward to seeing if my family can adopt its use and if the mudroom can handle all of our winter gear.

Posted in Blog

Moving Forward with Uncertainty

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

I haven’t been writing much since schools closed their doors in March. At first I was blaming it on a lack of time, as my schedule blew up and had to completely change. But now, the family and I are in a routine and, truth be told, I just didn’t include writing for fun time. I’ve had time to read a fair number of books and complete a few home projects, so there’s time to write.

I’m afraid I don’t know what to write. Everyone seems so polarized these days that I haven’t been willing to wade into the murky waters of political topics for fear of the riptides. Then I decided that I don’t have to enter the water at all. This blog is mine and I can write about what I want, and that doesn’t negate my strong opinions related to the news of the day.

So then I start to think about what to write, which often seems so privileged in this time where others are dealing with sick family members, lack of childcare and jobs that don’t allow you to work from home, job losses, etc. I’ve decided I’ll acknowledge that privilege here and then outside of this online space, take action to give back to others.

Overall, our family is very lucky. My husband is working from home at least through the summer. I’ve always worked from home and will continue to do so. Neither one of us is likely to lose our jobs because of the economy and everyone is healthy. The kids are home 24/7, but they have adjusted to it amazingly well and in some ways have thrived with the one-on-one academic support. Our kids have never been closer with each other. There is food in the refrigerator and money in the bank.

In the grand scheme of things, my concerns and gripes are minor. I’m sad school didn’t end the way we envisioned, summer vacations are cancelled, and school next year is going to continue to be virtual, at least partially. I’m coming to terms with the notion that it’s okay to be disappointed about a change in plans and with the uncertainty of when “normalcy” will return. I will do my best to see the positives though.

Photo by Mariam Soliman on Unsplash

Posted in Blog

Friday Fav: Stringing My Kids Along

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

We have exhausted all options for exploring our neighborhood recently in an attempt to get outside and get some fresh air during our shelter-in-place order here. The plus side is that the kids have gotten a lot of time to ride bikes. Mr. 7 year old joined the ranks of children who learned to ride without training wheels. My social media feed has been exploding with kids with this new found confidence on two wheels — a benefit to this situation. I love seeing people share such good news!

Mr. 4 year old has been loving his trike because he can power slide. (That’s his dad coming through.) The downside is that hills are difficult, causing him to jump off and push. When I walk with the kids, I want to walk….not run…not stroll…walk. So, my solution was to get a long ribbon and tie it around the front of Mr. 4 year old’s trike when we go up hills or when he gets too tired. I still get to walk, Mr. 4 year old gets to ride, and we can keep up with Mr. 7 year old. Win, win, win!

Posted in Blog

An Update on Rewarding Kids with Marbles

Posted on by Stephanie Spinapolice

Back in February, my husband and I introduced the kids to a new way to reinforce good behavior. In short, it works like this. Good behavior is rewarded with a marble, which is equivalent to five minutes of screen time. Poor choices cost the kids marbles.

It’s really worked out so far! We were struggling for months to get Mr. 4 year old to stay in his room after bedtime, and that problem has resolved itself. (It may be in part because he’s home 24/7 now and typically doesn’t nap in the afternoons anymore either.) It has helped them adjust to new routines as we’ve shifted to homeschooling and pick up more chores around the house. If they want TV time and don’t have enough marbles, they will ask for things to do to earn them. I’ve had my windows cleaned, dishes done, laundry folded and put away, and many books read to me.

Although we started out rewarding pretty much every good behavior we were shaping in the kids, we have started incrementally awarding marbles now. For instance, the kids started out getting a marble every time they cleared their own spot at the table. Now that the habit’s formed, they don’t get a marble for that anymore. But, my boys are clever, and they have started clearing the entire table. If they do that without asking for a marble, we’ll award one.

There were a few unintended consequences that have amused me though.

  1. The kids are exceptionally good at counting by fives now.
  2. My husband is as generous as Oprah. “You get a marble! And you get a marble! And you get a marble!”
  3. Both kids have learned about negative numbers when they lose marbles they haven’t yet earned. Mr. 7 year old has started saying, “Ah man, I’m in the pit!”
  4. The kids were willing to, as they say, “waste their marbles” as soon as they earned them. We had to start enforcing that they had at least three marbles before they could “cash them in” and have 15 minutes of screen time.

I’m excited that we’ve found a currency that matters to the kids. (I was all about raking in the money as a kid, but I can adapt to screen time instead.) We’ll be sticking with this system for the foreseeable future.

Photo by Crissy Jarvis on Unsplash