Ocean in a Bottle

It is super rainy and ugly outside and I have my sisters Stephanie and Geanese over for the night. We have been extremely bored and since we can't go out anywhere I decided to do a little fun experiment that will be fun for any kid (I found it cool too lol) So here is an easy activity to distract the kiddies with easy supplies that everyone has in their house.

Items you will need:

Clear Bottle

Water

Blue Food Coloring

Oil 

I used the a small vinegar bottle so its small enough for Nate to hold. First you should fill the bottle with 1/3 of water. Then drop a few drops of the blue food coloring. Include the child as much as you can so I let Nate do all the shaking to mix the water and food coloring together. 

Then fill the rest with oil and the image above is what it will look like. Once you flip it upside down then you will get this... 

You can add glitter, rocks, whatever you'd like. Makes a fun sensorial activity for your little one on a rainy day. 

Nate's Wish List

Yayyy for day 5 of Blogmas!! That means there are only 19 days till Christmas! For this blog I'm going to write Nate's wish list which is a Montessori gift guide for toddlers. You may notice that all of them are wooden but that's because most Montessori activities come in wood and wood is less likely to contain dangerous toxins that are found in plastic toys and I have a bit of an addiction(I'll admit). So with that being said, lets get into this wonderful list! 

1. Montessori Cylinder Blocks - $36.94 Each

This is one of the most popular sensorial lessons. Your child will learn pencil grip, sizing, dimension, and matching. Most websites sell all 4 under one large price but you can buy them separately on the link I provided here. Each block is different. The first blog teaches diameter where as the second one teaches both diameter and height. Once your child has master the first block, you can then move on to the second one. I can't wait to see Nate try this one. 

2. Plan Toys Cone Sorting - $21.98 

3. Plan Toys Dancing Alligator - $15.98

Nate loves wheels and dragging things so I know this will be a complete success! 

4. EverEarth Jr. Size Ramp Race - $16.99

5. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pound and Roll Tower - $16.99

6. Melissa & Doug Stack and Sort Board - $9.99

7. Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube - $14.99

8. Plan Toys Water Blocks - $32.99 

9. Hape Pound and Tap Bench - $19.51

10. Have Walk Along Puppy - $17.14

11. Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set - $15.69

This is a great practical life activity that Nate absolutely loves. Between each piece is velcro so when the child cuts it sounds like he's actually cutting. One of his favorite toys right now. 

12. Kid Kraft White Vintage Kitchen - $119.99

As you can see, the list can go on and on or at least I can go on and on. There are so many wonderful wooden educational toys. Just search some of the brands above and find any items that suit your children. Hope this helps! See ya tomorrow! 

What is the Montessori Method?

 I first learned about this parenting method in a psychology class I had in college and everyone in the class thought of it as a ridiculous method. When Nathaniel turned one I knew I wanted most of our day to be filled with fun and educational materials. I wanted to redo his room into a toddler independent fun room. Doing lots of research I came across the Montessori method again and it was like a lightbulb went off in my head! 

So let me introduce you to the wonderful Maria Montessori who created the Montessori Method. She was an Italian doctor and teacher who introduced the method to US classrooms in 1904. She believed that children learn best when they "choose" what activities they want to participate in. She considered children from the age of birth to 6 so have the ultimate "absorbent mind." During this period children have the ability to learn and assimilate from the world around them. 

Children have a natural desire to teach themselves and become independent. In a Montessori classroom the child is given the freedom (within boundaries) to do as they want. The teachers are there to assist and direct while the materials and activities are specially designed to stimulate a child's intellect. Each child works at their own level. 

In a Montessori classroom you will see that everything has a purpose. It is our job to prepare the environment for the children, so there isn't anything that the child can't see or touch. All of the furniture and equipment is scaled down to a child's size and is always within reach. It is a very organized environment so that the child doesn't get overwhelmed. You will mostly see everything made out of wood. 

I have brought the Montessori method into my home for Nathaniel. We will have some Montessori blogs coming up so wanted to explain what it was first before jumping in. If anyone has any questions please feel free to comment below or on my Instagram @FlawlessGlam. 

Christmas Gifts for Women

Here's a quick guide to gifts any woman would love! Including myself! 

1. Marc Jacobs Watch - $131.25

It's simple, dark, and sexy! Any woman would love this watch. I know I would ;) 

2. Tom Slippers - $53.95

Be in style while being at home (or secretly wear them out.) & with every pair that you purchase Tom will donate a pair to a child in need. 

3. Ray Bans Clubmaster

Ray Bans! Who doesn't love them? 

4. Michael Kors Double Strap Watch - $146.95

A woman can never have enough watches so this one is another sexy watch that can be worn with any simple outfit. 

5. Naked 3 Palette - $54

For those who like makeup! The Naked 3 is a beautiful natural palette that any woman can get use out of. 

6. Corkcicle - $16.90

For the wine lovers out there! Keeps your white and red wine at the perfect temperature every time. Comes in 5 different colors. 

7. Skip Hop Dash Diaper Bag - $64.00

Super stylish diaper bag! Has 11 pockets. Skip Hop has some amazing products. I need to update my diaper bag. 

8. Young Living Essential Oil - $150.00

This item is amazing for the whole family. This home defuser is a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one. It releases essential oils in the air to eliminate order and create a relaxing atmosphere. 

Christmas Gifts for Men

Hello everyone and welcome to Blogmas number two! Today I'm going to share some Christmas gift ideas for the men in your life. I'm not sure about everyone else but for me, shopping for David and my dad is so tough!! So I came up with this list hoping to help some people who may be in the same dilemma I'm in.  

1. Uggs Australia Butte - $225.00 

These boots are built for the harshest winter. Available in three colors. It's waterpoof full-grain leather & nylon is perfect for snowstorms. The inside is made of real fur to keep your feet nice and warm during the coldest nights. Best of all they're extremely durable!! 

2. Michael Kors Dylan Gunmetal Stainless Steel Watch - $144.38

I'm obsessed with all black watches! I think it looks great on everyone and goes with everything! 

3. Mophie Powerstation - $79.95

The Mophie Powerstation is an external battery charger for iPads, iPhones, iPods, Droid, HTC and Blackberry. It is lightweight, charges quickly, and last about three charges before you have to charge the Mophie. Perfect for those who travel a lot. 

4. Fit Bit Flex - $94.99

David and I both have this item. It is great for people who love to track their steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. It also monitors how long and well you sleep. Wakes you with a vibrating alarm on your wrist. 

5. Nike Air Max 2015 - $189.99

Great sneakers for running. The upper part is made of mesh for lightweight and breathability. Padded heel for extra stability. Great traction and very comfortable. & did I mention they're all black to go with any workout gear. 

6. Raybans Clubmaster Classic - $150.00

To go with that beautiful all black Michael Kors watch. They offer a high level of clarity, comfort, and protection. 

7. Personalized Gifts  

Personalized gifts are always great because they always have a little more meaning. You can personalize anything for that man in your life from a watch case, mugs, and pocket knifes. The list goes on. 

8. MagnoGrip - $19.99

It is a magnetic wristband for the DIY man of the house. It's like having a third hand helping. Never looks those screws or bolts again. 

9. Beats Pill - $199.99

My dad owns this and he loves it. Perfect for traveling or just hanging out in the backyard. Although it's small, it is loud. Connect it with Bluetooth & you can change the songs from your phone. 

10. Sports Tickets

I could not think of one more gift so David helped me with this one. He says sports tickets because its a great opportunity to bond as a couple. LOL. 

It is 11:19pm and I just finished this blog. I will try to get them up earlier from now on. Hope that I've helped for anyone who was stuck. Time to go watch a movie & cuddle with my honey boo. LOL. 

What is Blogmas?

Disclaimer: This is not my photo. Rights belong to its owner.

Hello everyone and a happy first of December!! Month of lights, snow, and feast. Its time to countdown the days until Christmas and that's what I'll be doing with "Blogmas." This means I will be blogging once a day until Christmas. How exciting is that? Most of my blogs this month will have a Christmas theme (not all). If you haven't been in the Christmas mood since November (yep, I have) I'm hoping to get you in the mood with some wonderful blogs I have coming up. I hope you all have an amazing start to December and keep a look out for tomorrows blog. Please let me know in the comments if there are any specific blogs you would like to see. 

Goodwill Haul

The Goodwill is hidden with amazing treasures!! 

We have been looking for mini goodies to create some at home Montessori activities for Nate; one being a mini pitcher and cup so that Nate can practice pouring his own drinks. This is a great 

practical life activity that teaches children to be independent. This was my first visit to a Goodwill 

and I literally felt like a kid in a candy store. The Goodwill is a store where you can donate and buy gently used items.  I initially went in only looking for a small pitcher & cup to fit in Nate's hands but I found other items that I knew I could use for something. We found a white tray that is perfect for teaching children to pour just incase of spillage. If you know me, you know I love all sorts of buckets and baskets so I had to get the blue tin bucket when I saw it. Best of all, all of this ONLY cost us $5!!! You guys, you can't beat those prices anywhere; Not HomeGoods or sorry to say, Target!