About Me

This is the page where I tell you a little about myself. Well, let’s see…

I have a weakness for pretty coats. I love pasta…like, REALLY love pasta! I have 6 of my very own children. I run a child care program with a degree in Preschool Education. I love to make photographs, in fact, I own my own studio. You can browse some of my work here…

I can’t walk by an aisle of cookbooks in a store without buying at least one. My nickname as a kid was Charlie…my Grandpa still calls me that. My big sister is one of my best friends. I would probably take in any animal who needed a home, if i had the room. I will never refuse a glass of a good red wine. Hmmm…what else? Oh, I won’t refuse chocolate either. And I love the smell of library books.

I am enjoying the world of blogging…I find it very exciting to meet and share with new people this way. I have “friends” as far away as Sweden now. It’s all pretty neat. I love a new box of crayons and I don’t mind a mess…as long as the kids making the mess had a great time doing it!!

So there you have it. A few little facts about me. I hope you find something you like here at Small Potatoes. We like to have fun, and we like to share! Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!

-Arlee

101 thoughts on “About Me”

  4. I think you and I would get along quite well, Arlee! Our love for pasta (it’s my all time favourite food – I could eat it every night), photography, library books and red wine, child care in our homes. And then there are the animals – you with your bunnies, and me with the robins. 🙂 We have a lot in common!
    Congrats on reaching 300 followers today! I’m off to check out your photos now (so jealous that you have your own studio), and to share your page on my page. 🙂

  6. Hi! I love how you organized your center and so kid friendly….oh I wish my first grade classroom would look like this next school year…thanks Arlee, you have some great ideas…imma steal some if it’s ok..lol…

  7. I just stumbled upon your blog and I have never been more impressed with person’s creativity. What you do for those kids is INCREDIBLE! I’m so inspired by you and fascinated by each and every post that I have read thus far. The world needs more people like you, those kids are extremely lucky to have someone so dedicated.

  9. I’ve enjoyed looking around your site! I am a homeschool mom and I’m always on the look out for creative, cost effective ways to organize our school “stuff.” I have an early childhood degree as well, and it’s nice to see someone else use ribbon across the walls to hang up art with clothes pins! My friends thought I was crazy! I look forward to more of your posts!

  15. Our congratulations for your beautiful photographs and very good ideas for children. We are a family in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, with two boys, 4 and 6 years… they liked very much the photos of your ideas… and we are going to try some of them…
    We would like to make you a proposal. We have a small rural house in Fuerteventura and we are looking for somebody who likes to play with the children as you. Maybe you would like to enjoy some holidays in our island, we can offer you free staying in our rural house. We would appreciate your ideas for games and playing with our children. If you are interested we hope your reply and we can speak more…
    Best regards from Fuerteventura,

    Marta and family.

  16. Hi loved this blog. I love your creative ideas and I hope to use some of them in my class. One idea I loved was the space saving plastic bags strung along a towel rack. I’ve finally found my solution to the problem of how to keep resources I’d collected and made.

  18. So glad to have found this blog…I remember the glory of a brand new box of crayons as a kid at christmas!

  20. Congratulations on all your recent success. I found your blog through Pinterest (such an amazing site right!) and I have read every single one of your posts. You are such an inspiration… and if I am not mistaken you are Canadian right? Your last post about travelling to Japan clued me in – sadly, I always just assume blogs I find are from the States. But I am always happy to see a fellow Canadian blogging, and doing it so well.

    Thank you for all the awesome ideas… you are making me want to start a home daycare. 🙂

  27. SO happy I found your site! I also run a daycare in my home, and have three children of my own that are all school age. You have awesome ideas on here! Thank you for sharing 🙂

  28. Arlee, I love your blog! From the looks of things it seems like you maybe from central Alberta. I live in Sylvan Lake. Your photography is absolutely breathtaking! I love getting ideas too since I am brand new to this blogging world!
    – Diana

  29. I love your blog. I am in the process of setting up my own home daycare. Love that you call it day home. Maybe I will call mine home care??? lol. Curious if you have anything on your daily schedule/routine?

  34. Just came across your blog while planning curriculum for my toddler classroom. So inspiring; sometimes we get caught up with just making it through the day and forget about the joy and wonder we can share with children.

  39. Hi ,
    I love your blog its brilliant! I am qualified Early Years practitioner , too but my horrible doctors made me leave as I have a spinal disease and its getting to hard to overdo it physically . I miss it so much 😦
    My own two angels are 10 and 12 so not so little anymore 🙂
    your posts make me smile , love reading them!
    Victoria xx

  43. I love your site! We definitely have some things in common, like the smell of library books and a brand spanking new box of crayons… oh, the pointed tips… love ’em! I will be following and delving in more to all of your wonderful posts. I am a homeschooling mom of a 5 year old daughter waaay up in Sequoia National Forest. If you have the time and interest, I would love if you checked out my blog of kids projects and mom stuff. Have a wonderful day!
    Karen
    http://kartwheels.org/

  47. I love your website. I have three of my own but they are all grown and have children of their own. So that means I am a Grandma I guess. I also do homedaycare in my home have been for thirteen years. I like the way you have things organized, that has always been an issue with me. I also have a problem with what to have out within reach and what not to have out with the different ages of my daycare children. Couple of questions do you have a curriculum that you follow? Do you like have a circle time where you do the weather,calendar, ctory time etc.? Also when do you go downstairs to your playroom during the day?
    And the wall shelf that is used by gardeners you said you got that at home sense I can’t find that on their website, how much did that cost?

  48. I absolutely love your site! You have given me so much inspiration as I am purging through all my school stuff as I type. I quit teaching after 10 yrs. I am going into my 2nd year of running my home daycare. Thank you for inviting us into your home and sharing your wonderful ideas.

  49. I feel like I know you; and would like to know more. Your site is wonderful! I am a stay at home mom always looking for ideas and inspiration. Whether it be decor, activities or organizing. The fact that you are a photographer as well…Keep sharing.

  52. I just stumbled upon your blog and LOVE it already. The combination of ideas for families, the photography, and the honest sharing of your life results in a charming blog that I will be coming back to over and over again!

  53. Hola!!! no se si algún día llegaras a leer esto ; ). SI LO HACES RESPONDEME CON TUS CONSEJOS. soy de Caracas – Venezuela me llamo Verónica y también soy maestra de educación inicial niños y niñas de 0 a 6 años de edad, te he seguido por instagram y ahora por aquí, he visto tus maravillosas actividades con tus niños y me encantan!!! Me encanta la valor que haces y es que yo desde que mi bebe nació hace 2 añitos he querido montar una especie de salón, aula o espacio solo para dar clases a los niños de mi comunidad (mi embarazo fue de riesgo y deje el trabajo en las escuelas y me dedique al cuidado de mi bebe y trabajaba en casa dando clases dirigidas, es decir ayudando a mis vecinos q son niños en las tareas del colegio). Vivo en un apartamento con mi esposo y mi bebe. me encantaría hacer algo como tu!!! un espacio único solo para las actividades escolares.
    Espero lograrlo este año… si me puedes ayudar con tus consejos, actividades o algo especifico te lo agradecería muchooooo….

  54. Hola de nuevo yo… se me olvido preguntarte: tu cuidas a los niños, les das desayuno, almuerzo y merienda y también actividades recreativas????

  55. Hi, Arlee. I found you through a photo from your blog when I did an image search for “namaste”! (whew!)
    I am also majoring in Education, with the goal to teach.
    So, I say, “Namaste”.

  60. Love your blog..and, er 6..wow! I will definitely try out a few of your ideas, look great. My kids don’t know you but they’ll soon love you, will come back and let you know how we get on 🙂

  61. Arlee- I love your busy bags! I pinned them a while ago thinking “when my daughter is old enough”… Well she’s old enough! I was just wondering where you got the printouts for the car tracks for the preschooler busy bag? Thanks!

  64. I appreciate you and your blog, and have nominated you for the Lovely Blog Award. It’s an easy one and I hope you’ll take time to complete it. I’d really be interested in learning 7 new facts about you and I think the rest of the blogosphere would too! Check out my most recent post for the rules and the award for you to copy and put on your site.

  67. Loved your statement about liking a new box of crayons and not minding a mess, as long as kids were enjoying themselves and, I would add, learning a while they do it. I’m glad I found your blog, It’s beautiful.

  69. It seems as though we have a few things in common. I don’t have 6 kids but I do run a childcare program. I most definitely enjoy a glass of red wine(as well as chocolate and library books.) I am looking forward to reading your posts!

  72. Oh. My. Goodness. You are amazing! I’m about to open my own family day care in my home in Australia and I’m so inspired by all the amazing projects you do with your children! Thank you so much for blogging so the rest of us can see exactly what a fantastic educator is all about!!

    • Hey Arlee, how do you keep the babies from getting into the things you have out on the shelves downstairs. I was looking at your blog on organizing. I need help in organizing my toys etc., really bad. I have a living room dining room that I use for my play area and I use the kitchen for my messy stuff, art projects, playdough, water table and so forth. My problem is knowing what to have out and how much to have out in my play area. I try to organize by centers, a block center, a manipulative center, reading center and a dramatic play center. I am going to try and send you a picture of my areas and see if you can help me. Also, where did you get those suction cup towel holders in the kitchen on your stove?

  73. This is a really interesting blog! I am the mom of nine kids and raised them in Saudi Arabia. Now I am back home here in the United States! You are a really busy and inspirational woman! Thanks for sharing!

  74. Hello it is very nice and refreshing to meet another mother of 6. I’m glad to have come across your website because you give so much insight and also great ideas for the little ones. I will definitely be checking in for new ideas.

  76. Hi Arlee 🙂 I just wanted to leave a note saying a sent you a msg on fb. Just in case it doesn’t end up in your main folder and is hiding in the “other” folder!

  78. Hi Arlee! I love your blog and your writing style is phenomenal. I am really excited to reading more of your fun stuff especially since I have 6 children as well, I believe I can learn from you.

  79. Hey Arlee! We have loads in common! 🙂 I just closed my doors to my childcare center of ten years October 30th, 2015, to become a stay at home Mom to our eighth month old daughter! I actually started out with an in-home childcare center back in 2005, and then it grew and grew and grew!! LOL. After ten years, I was ready to devote my time to just my little one. It was a very heart wrenching decision and I will forever hold being a childcare provider in my heart! I look forward in reading your blogs and seeing your fun activities I can use with my own little on at home!

  80. I love your blog, it is so cheery. I found it looking for a bread recipe, which the bread was wonderful. I have a little 7 yr old boy who loves to help me cook and loved your Monster Truck Rally. I am just ready to open my own in home daycare and is so excited. Thank you for sharing all your cute ideas and maybe I could start a blog someday myself.

  81. I’ve really been enjoying your page. I recently moved “home” to Camrose, AB (I grew up in Edmonton) after living away in Vancouver for a decade. I’m having fun being inspired by your yard ideas now that I have one of my own to create play spaces in! I was tickled to see that you’re in AB, too. Red Deer? Here I thought I was reading some California mom blog!

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