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It’s been a bit since I did a childcare update.  I thought I would share one with you today…We’re into summer now.  I have anywhere from three to six kids.  It’s a nice number of kids and I’m so content with having only that many.  I would love to have 5-6 kids a day.  That would be my ideal.  I’m not actively looking for kids though.  If someone comes my way, I might add them to the roster if they fit in really well with the kids I already have.  I very much feel ...

It was swing set Sunday here at the Kramer house.  What a crazy day…but a very happy, happy day for me!

You might remember a bit ago I bought a swing set that was in a pile.  The swing set had been damaged in a storm when winds took it and flipped it.  You can read about that HERE if you missed it.

Buck and Karl brought it home with a pick-up and trailer.

Sunday was the day for it to get put together.

This is what the set is supposed to look like.

I am missing the long ...

School got out for the preschoolers last week and the big kids got done with school on Tuesday…so it’s summertime childcare for me.  I don’t have a lot of kids but it’s a new routine.

Wednesday Kelli had her six-week check-up so I had her kiddos here.  Much of the morning was spent passing the babies from big kid to big kid as they all wanted in on holding them.  Here is Carver with Eli.

We spent time outside too.  Here Georgie is working on her scooter skills.  This style of scooter is great for kids ...

AH…I am having the worst time.  Maybe you all can help me.

With childcare I used to go to the park all the time in the summer so the kids could use the play equipment.  I had a triple stroller.  This one you see below and I loved it.  It was great for kids once they reached about a year old.

I’d load them all up and go to the park.  For the most part, it was pretty good.  I didn’t keep a swing set at my house…if we wanted play equipment, we went to the ...

Well, it’s almost two months since I started doing some childcare again.  I thought I would give you a little update on how it is going.

First off, let me explain that I am not doing it like I was before.  This is really laid back and more of grandma care.  Sure we still read stories and do some activities but it’s not a full house and me jumping from here to there all the time loaded with kids.

The star of the show around here is the baby…He’s a really good little guy and I ...

I told you all that I’ve been tossing around the idea of going back to childcare.  I had talked to my kids and I had made the decision that I’d see how my December 17th doctor appointments at Mayo Clinic go, then make a decision.  I was doing in-home childcare prior to Covid but when it hit in March, my doctor recommended I close.  At the time, little was known about Covid and how it spreads.  Thankfully we know more now.

The last time I talked with my doctor there was a discussion that if my thyroid cancer ...

Last week on Monday was a child care day for me.  It was a no school day and I told the parents when I quit care if you need me on a no school day to let me know.  Happily, they did.

I really miss the kids and the life of childcare.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy more at ease days but I do miss the hustle and bustle.  I’m actually leaning towards going back.  Every time I have the kids for a few days, I can’t help but wish I was back at it.

I ...

No…I’m not going back to full childcare.  I do have a few childcare days though.  I regularly have Carver, Gannon, and Georgia on Mondays and Fridays.  A couple of my former childcare families have asked if they could join in on those days…and sometimes they do.  I love it.

This past Monday was one of those days.  There was no school as it was a teacher in-service day.  I ended up with five kiddos here and Gannon was the youngest.  We had lots of fun.  I didn’t make any plans in advance like I used to ...

I think I told you all that I’ve worked things out that I will have Kelli and Kalissa’s kids (three of my grandkids) on Mondays and Fridays for childcare.  Well, one of my old childcare families asked to join us on Fridays and I decided that would be okay.  Last Friday was the first day for them to come.

The two girls love art projects.  They love crafts.  So when they got here I had a bunch of scraps left out on the kitchen island from cutting out my quilt and the girls wanted to play with them ...

Well…Sometimes in life we make the choices and sometimes the choices get made for us.

Back in January I started talking with my kids about cutting back my childcare hours.  I was easily working than more 50 hours a week.  It was too much.  As life was passing me by I kept being sad that I was having great grandma experiences with Carver, Gannon and Georgia but the other grands I wasn’t seeing much-even then, most of experiences with them were childcare related.  I know that is partly because of where everyone lives and, of course, I realize ...

The childcare kiddos have been keeping me on my toes.  Last week was especially busy and we’ve been fighting runny noses and temperatures.  Nothing serious…more run of the mill type stuff.  It was also a week with two early outs and a no school day.  Those always throw me for a loop.  This time we had a pretty good time.

Here are a couple things we’ve been up to.  I have two of these sets….

It’s a Melissa and Doug Sandwich Set of felt food.  You can find it HERE on Amazon.  It’s a popular ...

Childcare has been going so good as of late.  The babies are almost a year old and have fallen into a bit of a schedule that is predictable.  The 2 and 3 year olds are better at thinking up their own ideas for play.  The school agers are getting along a little better.  I love it.

This always seems to happen right before I get another baby….the kids get totally manageable and then a baby comes and changes things up.   My soon to be coming new baby was born in early January so in March she’ll be starting ...

It’s been a little crazy around here as of late.  We’ve had snow several days and that means a two hour late start.  This day, I put nine kids on the bus.

It’s no problem when they are all here.  They are good, know the rules and actually keep the little ones entertained so it works out okay.  The problem, when it comes to getting ready for the bus.  The kids are terrible about putting their mittens and hats in their sleeve so they can find them later.  Kids don’t always wear them either so I ...

Check out my new felt board for the kiddos.

Does it look familiar?  It sure does to me.  It’s my Nido Wool Ironing Mat.  I needed a felt board for my kiddos.  My old one was felt over a piece of foam core board.  It was all ratty and icky.  I was going to get supplies to make a new one when I walked by my ironing mat.  Something clicked in my brain and I thought, I’ll try it as a felt board.  Oh. My. Word.  It’s the best felt board I’ve had to date.  Here ...