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While I was perusing my local dollar store oh, about 18 months ago at this point, I was inwardly groaning at the fact that I couldn’t seem to find the right set of letters to use in my “schoolroom”.  I wanted something that I could display for the kids but not something that would be over the top, in our small space.  Everything I saw was either too big or too bright or too something.  As I was about to give up, I saw them, the window clings.  It struck me that they would be just about perfect, considering that the only space in my kitchen that was totally free of “stuff” at this point just happened to be the window.  I slapped down my dollar seven (because it’s NJ), and happily took them home, putting them up that night and wondered if the kids would notice.

They noticed, oh how they noticed.  The window was the talk of the breakfast table that morning, and for many mornings (and lunchtimes and dinners) to come.  They’ve held up great, and are right at their eye levels.  I had a winner.  This got me thinking.  What else could I use them for?

A couple of months later, I found more window clings…at Sikora’s (only the best ever Catholic religious articles store in the world, even better than that one right outside the arms of the Vatican).  That’s right.  Plastered right above my alphabet are the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Again, I hung them up and wondered, and again, they all noticed.  Those two window clings have sparked more conversations that I can recall, especially when the sun comes shining through and makes them look like mini-stained glass windows.  Score two for mom.

Obviously, the window is only so big, and we all know that they work just fine on windows.  But, I kept seeing them and kept wanting buying them.  They’re usually very cheap and come in such a variety, I can’t help it!  Of course, having them means I need to use them, and use them I have.  Guess what works really well on window clings.  Dry erase markers.  They’re awesome, like a match made in homeschooling heaven.  I don’t even take them off the cardboard backing anymore.  Who needs windows?  We use the markers and trace the alphabet, our numbers, shapes, words, the names of the months, and so many more more things.  Then, we just wipe them off with a paper towel.  We even have a window cling map of the United States, and we use it practically every day.  Today, we were retracing our trip to Florida from last summer and also marking off the states where our family members live.  The uses are about as varied as the window clings themselves.

We're decidedly not from the West.

So, window clings, with or without the windows, work for me (especially from the dollar bin).  Maybe they’ll work for you too.  Let me know if you use them (especially off the windows) already or if you give them a try.  I’d love to hear about it.