Are you looking for an engaging way to practice letter and number names with your child?

I’m working with my 4-year old on letter and number names. One of the resources we’ve been using is this “ABC123 Sticker Book”. It’s an interactive way to see which letters and numbers she knows and doesn’t know. Then, we can see which ones we need to work on.

We put a sticker next to the letter or number in the book when she knows it easily and without any clues from me. I also let her put as many stickers as she wants on the cover.

This activity would be great for both Preschoolers and Kindergarteners.
Just in case you’re interested in more info, this sticker book is available in my TpT Store here.

Here’s to having some fun with good, old fashioned stickers.

~Carrie

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I just wanted to share a picture of the hooks we put on the inside of our front closet door. It’s a really easy way to store our reusable bags.

Happy organizing!
~Carrie

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Do you know an avid Scrabble or Words With Friends player? Here is a fun gift for them. Or make one for yourself. It’s a DIY word mug. These two mugs have “q without u words” and “2 letter words.”

I purchased the white mugs at Target. I saw directions on a few different sites about how to best bake the mugs. Here’s what I ended up doing:

1. Write the words on the mug with a Sharpie. I used a regular Sharpie, but I’ve heard that the “Sharpie Paint Pens” work even better than regular Sharpies. So feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.

2. Let the marker dry on the mug for 30 minutes (let dry for at least 3 hours if you used the paint pens)

3. Place the mug on a cookie sheet.

4. Put the cookie sheet into the cold oven (this allows the mugs to warm up with the oven and lessens the chance of cracking, I think).

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the mug cool with the oven.

6. Remove the cookie sheet/mug after the oven has mostly cooled.

Tips:

-When you’re writing on the mug, make sure the marker is pointing down so the ink is flowing down. I think it helps get better results with regular Sharpies.

-I would probably hand wash most of the time, but I think they may hold up in the dishwasher (especially if you use the oil-based Sharpie paint pens).

If you enjoy word game resources, I have a packet available in my TpT store, which highlights 2-letter words, q without a u words, and words without vowels. There are printable lists, definitions, and bookmarks included in this fun resource. Who knew an “ai” is a type of 3-toed sloth?

Best of luck with your mug making and word game playing!

~Carrie

Follow My Book Boost on Facebook to see more gift ideas in the future!

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The future is upon us. I’m not sure how many smart phones do this, but I’ve been really loving the “microphone” feature on my iPhone! It saves me time because I don’t have to type everything out, but just say it instead.

Tap the microphone icon, say what you need to say, like “get milk and fig newtons.” Then, press “Done”.

Here are the top two ways I use the microphone:

1. For texting– it’s faster than typing (most of the time). You may have to correct some of the words, but I’m amazed at how well it understands what I say.

2. I like to use the “Notes” feature on my phone for quick notes when I don’t have paper. “Gift idea for Trevor…”, etc.

Does your phone have this feature? If so, do you use it? Are there other things it can do that I haven’t discovered yet?

~Carrie

It’s a new year and time for some more decluttering! This year, I have had one thought that’s been helping me let go of more. The thought is “it’s better for the environment to donate things I’m not using.” This works for me since I’m always looking for more ways to be more eco-friendly.

Here are the latest 10 things I was able to donate:

•  5 different kitchen utensils

• Disposable pie pan I held onto, but haven’t used

• Real Simple magazine from about 7 years ago (I looked through it in case there was anything I wanted to rip out and save)

• Winter hat that I never wear (I have two other winter hats)

•  Shoes that are cute, but they’re not comfortable

• A receiving blanket

If you enjoy these kinds of posts, feel free to like my Facebook page so you can be notified when I post more in the series! Here is the link to my last post about decluttering.

What are your best reasons for decluttering?
~Carrie

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