Sweet Bella Mama

Flowery Writing

2010-08-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw this idea was in an elementary school office. Perhaps they were attempting to make the office more friendly? Then my niece made a pile of these to sell at a school fundraiser and she gave me one, which I treasured. What am I talking about? The lovely, colorful, beautiful, uber cool, spectacular, pencil with a fake flower taped to it. What kid, particularly girls, wouldn't feel more interested in writing with these babies in hand? Since I don't have any girls, my boys get to use them. And guess what? They don't mind at all.

To create your own pencil bouquet you will need:

new pencils (you can use ink pens too)

faux flowers

floral tape (I couldn't find any here in Poland, so I substituted electrical tape)

Now the tricky part (just kidding) - cut part of the stems off the flowers and then tape them to the pencils.

Now sharpen those babies up and get writing! Flowery writing peppered with adjectives is optional. We have a bunch in a jar on our table, which is rather convenient and pleasantly decorative at the same time.

3 Things

2010-04-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

I have 3 things to share this morning, which is amazing considering it isn't 7 am yet.

1. Kido'z. It is an internet browser for kids. It is safe, so you can let your kids be online without fretting that something nasty is popping up.

2. Splatter Paint. It's fun. Let your kids go Jackson Pollock and they will adore you. Maybe you'll want to participate?

3. Elephant & Piggie Books. By Mo Willems. We have 10 and Caedmon will read them all in one sitting. Because they are awesome and make the kids (and me) laugh. Perfect for young readers. HIGHLY recommended!!!

No, the pictures are not in the correct order, but you get the idea :)

The Easel

2010-04-07T02:17:00.000-07:00

Our easel is one of the most used items in our home. We use it every day for school - mostly the whiteboard side. The boys also use the chalkboard sometimes and enjoy drawing/painting on the paper roll. I was so happy to be able to get one from IKEA here in Poland, just like the one we have at home, inexpensive, sturdy, and just so handy. I cannot tell you how much I recommend having one of these in your home! (I have this dream of someday putting an easel by the sidewalk in front of our house, with a different quote on it every day, that passersby can read.)

One of the things I like to do with Ansel for letter recognition practice is to write a letter at the top of the board (both uppercase and lowercase) and then have him search for and circle those letters on the board. He loves this and it takes about 10 seconds for me to set up.

Easter Eggs

2010-04-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

These might be my favorite eggs, ever! I'm a sucker for all things "natural" and dyeing eggs this way was such a pleasure:

1. chopped up purple cabbage and boiled it in a pot of water. let cool. strained.

2. kids drew on the boiled eggs with soy wax crayon rocks. (poor Caedmon wasn't feeling well, so he let his brother do most of them.)

3. added white vinegar to the dye bath and soaked the eggs in it for about 1/2 hour until they were a lovely shade of blue (we had brown eggs; if you use white I think they will be more purple than blue).

4. repeated process with yellow onion skins to make the dye. this dye basically gave a deeper orangish hue to our eggs, which I love.

5. we also have some quail eggs in our mix. aren't they beautiful? you can buy them at the grocery store here!

I hope these little boys are up to an egg hunt later! Unfortunately, they are both running fevers now and would like nothing more than to stay on the couch and watch Winnie the Pooh!

Easter Nests

2010-04-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

We might not have plastic eggs or jelly beans this year, but do not fret, we are still having a festive time! Of course, we focus on the reason for Easter, a celebration of Christ dying for us and rising from the grave (much like Christmas, it's too easy to get wrapped up in the commercialization, but we all know this, right?). We also embrace the traditional fun of baskets and egg hunts. So, what to do this year?

When I saw this post I knew that we had to try this: making nests from paper bags! LOVE. And so we did:

1. Cut paper bags into strips.

2. Turn over a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

3. Paint glue onto plastic wrap and layer the strips.

4. After it dries, peel it off and find a golden chicken to lay some chocolate eggs in it. Even better if the chicken is Polish, which ours are! I heard they lay the best chocolate eggs ever.

We will be dying eggs tomorrow with cabbage and onion peels. I also picked up some quail eggs at the market - they are so beautiful that they require no decoration. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

* This craft is from Alpha Mom via Ohdeedoh

Social Darling Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-12-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Social Darling Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

I really would LOVE to win this beautiful dress!

Love Fortunes

2009-02-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

Some little Valentine's Day goodies, inspired by a how-to at the Martha Stewart website. Basically, you make felt circles and glue a piece of floral wire down the center, with ribbon on top to cover the wire. After they dry, you can bend them into a cookie shape. Then add your own Valentine's message. Caedmon made the one pictured for his teacher and one for her assistant. I also whipped some up for Joel and the boys. Theirs have personalized messages, I mean fortunes. (Don't tell.) I bought the boxes from our local Chinese restaurant and used some paper from my stash for the tags. Of course I added lots of Hershey's kisses to make them extra sweet!

$1.00 Tattoos

2009-01-29T12:11:00.001-08:00

I don't buy my kids a lot of "stuff," but I recently bought these tattoos at Target for $1.00 (there were about a dozen in a pack). My kids think they totally rock and I have to agree. As long as they stay FAR away from real tattoos. . . although I could see the value of the heart with MOM written inside. What do you think?

PlaceMats

2009-01-28T16:29:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to make placemats for a very long time - ones that would fit on our tiny table, and would show the boys how to set the tiny table properly. A little scaffolding goes a long way. My original thought was to make felt mats and use embroidery floss to outline the place setting. TOO MUCH WORK - so it never happened. Here is the easy alternative that finally hit me. I took this cute paper with a different pattern on each side (reversible!), cut it into rectangles and drew the place setting on each one with a colored pencil. Then I took them to the library and had them laminated. I used a dry erase marker to draw the scalloped edges and then cut them out. Finally, I took a hole punch to fancy 'em up a bit. Caedmon carefully placed each piece of silverware on the mats at dinnertime - he even made sure the knife blades faced the plates! Yay! May I say that I think these are fabulous? Because I do. I might be cheesy, but I'm OK with that. Oh, and the cost of these darlings. The paper - $1.00 on clearance. The laminating - $1.50. $2.50 divided by 4 equals 62.5 cents each. Double Yay!

Little GuiTarzan

2009-01-28T16:17:00.000-08:00

Missing Strings? No Problem for this little jamming GuiTarzan. Seriously, if I had this kind of confidence, I might actually be on my way to the guitar playing future I dream of.

More Pink!

2009-01-28T15:54:00.001-08:00

We have started decorating for Valentine's Day, and I am totally diggin' it. I strung these bird lights from IKEA along our art wire. Inspired by this post, I wanted to create a flower garland. The boys dyed some white coffee filters with red watercolor paint and droppers. After they dried, I mixed them up with some brown filters and strung them on cotton twine to create the garland. Next, we glued pieces of tissue paper to hearts cut from overhead transparencies. We layered some heart doilies into our mix, and turned on the lights. Frilly, fun, PINK! I heart it.

Love Shack

2009-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

This is the igloo cake, which more closely resembled a turtle, in my opinion. But who cares, right? We decorated with shredded coconut and powdered sugar, for snow, of course. Added some pink m&m's, sprinkles and these lovely gingerbread hearts, which I bought after Christmas for 62 cents! No, they weren't stale; they were in a sealed bag. Joel dubbed it the "love shack." I tried to scrawl that in icing, but it looked really horrible. So, we cut it up and devoured half of it in one sitting. Even boys don't mind the pink when it's this yummy!

Recycled Paper

2009-01-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

I got a little paper making factory for Christmas. The boys and I tried it out and it was pretty cool. . . but I think if I actually made paper often, I'd have to produce it in larger quantities. It was a lot of work to make two tiny pieces with this kit. You could do the same thing with an electric blender and a larger screen. It's a simple process - rip up paper, soak it in warm water, blend it into pulp, smush it onto a screen, dry it out. We added flower seeds to ours (leftover from last spring) - so we can plant the paper. I think it'd be fun to make greeting cards that are plantable. As an aside, I actually got the boys some paper made from banana leaves and elephant POOP. I don't think we can beat that, because I am definitely not going to be putting any excrement into our paper.

The Cook

2009-01-24T16:54:00.000-08:00

Caedmon has taken an interest in the kitchen lately. Something he hasn't been into in a while, so I'm encouraging it. Last weekend he chose a quiche recipe from Mollie Katzen's book Salad People and I helped him make it. I made little blueberry tarts with the leftover dough. Tonight we baked a cake, which is cooling on the counter. It's going to be a Valentine's Igloo. (Hopefully.) I'm hoping if I train the boys right, they'll be whipping up fabulous meals for me - maybe breakfast delivered to my bed?

Christmas Morning

2009-01-20T06:18:00.001-08:00

Some of my favorite photos from Christmas. The boys loved their dress up stuff. I hope they'll always be this easy to please. If anyone knows of a magic potion to keep your kids young, please let me in on the secret. Really, I think the secret is to just enjoy it while it lasts.

Snow Play

2009-01-19T14:38:00.003-08:00

The temperatures have been sub zero nose nipping finger biting crazy cold lately and in lieu of going outside, I brought the snow inside. To a plastic tub and with frozen colored ice cubes and scoops pilfered from the utensil jar, we had a super fun treasure hunt. Caedmon dubbed himself an archeologist and Ansel piled all the cubes into a colander. So fun, until it melted. But hey, there's plenty more where that came from!

Gingerbread House

2009-01-19T13:55:00.001-08:00

From the amazing Wilton kit. Add some sugar and some gumdrop trees and you have got yourself a super sweet pad. Don't you love the dripping windows? Makes me want to rename Ansel, "Hansel." Not really.

"It's from a kit?" you whisper in horrified tones. . .

"Yes, and some things are meant to be from kits," I reply with absolute certainty. They make for a more sane mama.

P.S. I finally uploaded my Christmas photos yesterday, so they will come trickling in. . .

The Wardrobe

2009-01-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

Has it been almost a month since Christmas? Unbelievable! This is the wardrobe that Joel and I made for the boys for Christmas. It's now filled with all of their dress-up attire. Joel built it from plywood and the fabric was actually a bedspread! The knobs are deer antler stubs and I added the yellow owl decals to match the yellow interior and to highlight the hidden owls in the fabric. I think if the boys ever "out grow" it, then I'll have to use it for my own stuff!

2008-11-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

As an American, as a Christian, as a Mom, I have a heavy heart this morning. As I see the crowds rejoicing, I am deeply affected. The choice that people have made, a choice of evil over good, will effect "change" - unfortunately. I truly believe that we had an opportunity to choose a patriot, a man who loved country over self; a woman with conviction and a love of life and family. John McCain's concession speech speaks for itself about what kind of man he is.

But now I have a choice. Will I put my "hope" in a man, as so many are, or will I put it in the Lord, maker of heaven and earth. Will I trust that what the devil has meant for evil, God means for good? Will I pray fervently that our nation will see revival and turn from its wicked ways? The answer, on all counts, is yes.

So today will not be a day of gloom and doom. I choose to look ahead and to pray for God's providence and protection. Much like our forefathers did over 200 years ago.

I'm not usually such as serious blogger, but some things are not to be taken lightly. I hope those around me will keep the faith. God bless America.

My Knights

2008-11-04T03:17:00.000-08:00

Peter and Edmund hailing from Narnia. AKA Caedmon and Ansel. Their costumes are a combination of long johns and slippers, purchased helmets, shields and a sword made by Joel (Caedmon already had a sword from last Christmas, so he copied it), finished with leather and a lion crest by me (which you can't see here - sorry. I downloaded the lion from a Narnia website and then reverse stenciled it). The tunics I cut from red velvet salvaged from a thrift store. All in all, I'd say they look pretty darn cute. And they had a blast at the harvest party we went to. Plus, they are sleeping in the long johns right now. And they can wear the costumes over and over - although at the moment the swords have been confiscated - we're not really trying to kill each other, after all. They'll get them back in a few days and hopefully engage in kinder, gentler sword play. Ha ha ha.

10 Things

2008-10-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm not keeping up with the list making. At this rate, I'm actually flunking. But with my foggish brain up and running on about three swallows of coffee, I think I'll give it a whirl before I start the rest of my day. P.S. the photo is another rip off, I think from an etsy seller, that I thought I could copy someday. I really should keep track of where these pictures come from so I can at least give the poor girl some credit. Sorry about that.

1. I'm not really a social person. I have to make myself talk to people in big groups, etc. This surprises some people.

2. I love our dog Olaf, and I feel bad that he doesn't get to go swimming more often.

3. I HATE paperwork, but who doesn't?

4. Sometimes I forget to wear deodorant, but luckily I don't have smelly issues, so I can get away with it. I also don't shower daily. I used to but I think it dries me out too much.

5. I used to work out, but now I don't. Long walks with the kids is about it. I have no marathon aspirations. And I don't watch sports. I have never been to a football game.

6. My coffee mug says "happy" and then has a picture of a camper. It belongs to Joel.

7. I have developed a lot of allergies. Animals, dust, pollen. A few years ago my eyes swelled nearly shut after I held a fawn. I hate medication, so I take nothing for my allergies.

8. I find that it is hard to live simply in our society, which bums me out.

9. Related to number 8, I am considering buying a portable dvd player for our long car rides. Which makes me feel like a hypocrite. It's laughable, I know, because most families bought those 5 years ago. We're not into spending on electronic stuff - but two other items on my wish list would be an ipod and a wii. We played one for the first time a couple weeks ago, and even though I'm kind of anti-video game stuff, I have to admit that it was fantastic!

10. I would love to make a crazy quilt. And if you're smiling to yourself, thinking, "that's because she's crazy," let me tell you, I was thinking the same thing, except in first person, not third, because that really would be crazy.

10 Things

2008-10-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

I skipped Sunday, because I was gone all day, but I'm back in the game.

1. boots - the boy (Ansel) and to wear. Preferably with tights.

2. muffins - cranberry orange is my favorite.

3. being organized. I used to think I liked label makers but I don't.

4. eating at home - I'm not a restaurant person. I don't like people I don't know preparing my food in a room that I can't see. Plus, they cost too much.

5. tea. warm and not too strong. herbal; unsweetened.

6. Caedmon's obsessions. Too cute for words. And gosh, is his brain amazing.

7. I like grammar, but I also like messing with it. I admire e.e. cummings. I do hate it when a whopping grammar mistake pops out of my mouth. mortification.

8. involving my kids in helping others. I was just thinking about getting our shoe boxes ready for Operation Christmas Child.

9. Jennifer Knapp's voice.

10. My guitar, which I will someday learn to play. Yes, I'm a Jennifer Knapp wannabe.

10 Things

2008-10-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Today's 10 things:

1. The Red Balloon. A really lovely film.

2. Flour Sack towels in the kitchen.

3. Rain. Preferably the kind I can dance in.

4. Warm socks.

5. Magazines, lip balm and water bottles.

6. Shintzi Katoh.

7. My dream perfume would have patchouli, amber, black pepper, tobacco, geranium, vanilla and honey. I think. It sounds good in writing. Now if I could just concoct and smell. . .

8. Talking to God throughout the day.

9. Packing Caedmon's lunches.

10. Cacti & Succulents. The only house plants that thrive under my (lack of) care. Plus I like the way they look.

This Day

2008-10-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Back to blogging again. Typing as quickly as I can without a left middle finger, because I seriously sliced it open with a bread knife today. Which leaves Joel in the kitchen doing dishes by himself while I type.

Tonight we're engaging in a little movie time. I promised Caedmon a viewing of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, because we have been listening to an audio recording, and reading a chapter every night. I thought it might be too intense, but he enjoyed it. I recently read a recipe for Turkish Delight, which I wanted to make tonight, but we're still working on my gigantic chocolate birthday cake, and since sugar coma and cavities aren't on our wish list, I'll put the TD off for a bit.

We also might watch a second movie tonight - Ansel & I checked out a few from the library today - since my recently appendix free sister Bekah, is staying on our couch recovering. So, we might as well make the best of it and totally bomb our brains with screen time.

Perhaps soon I'll be back to the fun activity type postings - an art playgroup for Ansel and friends is in the works, which will give me some material. Also, my camera is down. Bekah is being kind and letting me borrow hers, but I can't believe how annoying it is to be sans camera. Crippling actually (ok that might be exaggeratory, but ya know. . .) Hence the dvd pic via Amazon. Lousy, I know.

Also, Ansel and I went to a book sale today and scored some books at 25 cents a piece. I can't resist books at that price. We also went to Ansel's first swim lesson for the season. And he loved it! I have to say that spending alone time with him has been a blessing. But I still am not thrilled with Caedmon being at school so much. But before I go into a ten page rant about that I will quit. Officially. Right now. Good bye.

10 Things

2008-10-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed my list making so much that I think I'll do 10 things for ten days and that'll make 100 (yes, my math skills are stunning, I know).

1. Love this bike thingy for the tots. So cozy and wonderful. I can't remember where I swiped this photo from, but it's a pic from Copenhagen, where they have very cool bike stuff. I love bikes - someday I hope to have a really swell one, maybe Dutch.

2. When my kids spontaneously embrace each other. I'm always reminding them that they are best friends forever. Perhaps they should get the necklaces with the bff broken hearts, the eighties is back, or is that WAY too girly? Yes.

3. Scarves.

4. Walks or rides, in the woods. I call it green therapy.

5. Reading my Bible before the boys wake up. Confession: it doesn't always happen.

6. Daydreaming.

7. Singing. Sometimes I walk around the house singing instead of talking, like I'm on Broadway or something. I used to do it when I was a kid too. I think it's fun, but I'm not sure my family enjoys it as much as I do. I'm comfortable singing in front of people, but uncomfortable with compliments. Someday I want to walk down the street singing at the top of my lungs. I often sing quietly in stores and notice people looking at me. I wish I could naturally harmonize.

8. My husband: he's a doll and he puts up with a lot.

9. A clean house. If my house is a mess it is very hard for me to be happy. But even if I could afford it, I would never hire anyone to clean my house. I'd much rather do it myself.

10. Goat's Milk: had it for the first time last week and I told Joel that I would like a goat for Christmas. I am smitten with the milk and I've always wanted to have a few chickens and a goat.

A List

2008-10-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a list person. I have way too many and can never seem to finish any of the ones with "to do" written across the top, but I love making them and changing them and working on them. . . it drives Joel, a very non list person, a little batty.

I love:

Autumn. The leaves crunching as I push the stroller down the sidewalk. Stopping to pick up the most beautiful leaves. Brewing tea to warm up a bit. Raking. Piling. Jumping. Raking.

Strong Coffee. Black.

Dark chocolate, but I have to be in the mood. And I only like a little at a time.

Homemade/handmade things. Food. Clothing. Toys. Etsy.

Making things for my family. This year I want to make presents for everyone. And I've been baking all of our bread. And making yogurt. It's very satisfying to me. I'd like to do more.

Books. Bookstores. Libraries. I never have time, it seems, to read much alone anymore. But thankfully I LOVE children's books, so I can read with my kids.

Snuggling in bed. I like sleeping with my kids. In fact, I can't imagine putting them in their own bedrooms.

Simple things. Little things can make me very happy. A barrette, a pretty piece of paper, a picture, things like that.

Feeling like I made someone's day better.

Kissing baby hair.

ShavingCream Prints

2008-08-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

When the boys don't want to take a bath/shower, a little trick is to ask them, "would you like to paint with shaving cream?" (This is not a bribe. Because I never bribe. Just want to make that clear :) Recently, I saw in mommy BlogLand ideas for mixing paint with shaving cream, so we had a little clean fun recently:

1. First, I sprinkled dry watercolors of their choice on top of a mound of shaving cream (on cookie sheets).

2. They mixed the colors. This is always a favorite part.

3. They created pictures with their fingers. (I've also used shaving cream for writing practice, but the paint takes it up a notch in the fun category.)

4. We placed watercolor paper on top and pressed gently, creating a print.

5. Let them dry and hang them up.

6. Repeat, unless you're running low on supplies, in which case you might want to conserve, as I know skipping shaving is not an option on my part, unless I want to resemble a gorilla.

Birthday Camp

2008-08-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

This is Part 2 of Caedmon's Birthday Extravaganza (OK that might be a slight exaggeration, but it sounds sooo cool). Camping. Which went really well. Until I woke up to thunder and lightning and realized I had left many things out in the elements. But it dries, right? And the sun came out eventually. We got to try out the kayak, go fishing, throw sticks to Olaf, play ball with the neighbors, cook over the fire, make ice cream in a ball, and pretty much just ask ourselves why we don't do things like this more often. Oh yeah, cause it takes tons of time to pack and unpack. . . but really, it is worth it :-) What a great birthday. And what a great boy!

Birthday Boy!

2008-08-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

Caedmon is 5! Tell the world, because he wants EVERYONE to know! And, ahhh, I just realized I forgot to tell the world via ohdeedoh, so that must be done also. Stay tuned for that.

So, here are some photos from the tree house picnic we hosted. The cupcakes were an idea from, of course, an old issue of Martha Stewart Kids. I decorated them with fondant and candies. The boys helped me create the forest with mint and thyme from our yard. While they ate the cupcakes, I read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, one of my favorites, and appropriate for the occasion. We also gave the birds a treat, by using pinecones from our yard as feeders. We just smothered them in peanut butter and rolled in birdseed. I used raffia as a hanger, which I figured was a more eco/bird friendly material than the fishing line that was suggested when I was scouting for ideas. Joel saw a squirrel trying to steal one the feeders yesterday; I like the squirrels, they are very entertaining and I think they get a bad rap. :-)

I'll post more about birthday festivities later; camping!!!

2nd Rant

2008-08-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

O.K. One more thing. Some people laugh at me, but I have real concerns about this school thing. The exposure to things I don't agree with - I mean, five year olds are impressionable and I want to be the one making the impressions. I am not a control freak, although I do write in capital letters, which my husband once heard was the sign of a control freak. But I have standards and it's really hard for me to send my kid off to someone who maybe doesn't share those standards.

Then there is the food - I'll pack his lunch, but there are snacks and treats. And we all know how I feel about that stuff. And the germs. I've been in classrooms. I should say GERMS. And the coloring in the lines, as I like to call it. The lack of creativity. And the reward systems. And the competition. This is my glass half empty scenario. So to balance that. . .

The friendship. The independence. The community. The exposure to things that are worthwhile, that I never think about. The benchmark standards (I'm only kidding; for Caedmon, this year, I don't give a hoot). The books and games and fun. Circle time. This is the glass half full.

So, I'll send him off with a kiss and a prayer (and lots more prayers during the day). And a healthy lunch, and a bottle of alcohol free hand sanitizer and really cute shoes (they're important too!). . . and to this rant, I say: THE END.

Home Schooling

2008-08-02T05:03:00.001-07:00

In my head there has begun a countdown until I send my little guy off to school. And you know what I wish for? Home Schooling. Unschooling. Mama schooling. But we'll give it a year. This is what will be good for him, I tell myself. A year in a room with other kids, another teacher, rules and structure. And then Poland, which will be the ultimate schooling.

P.S. This is a quiet mama rant, please disregard, and accept my apologies, if you were hoping for something slightly more fun :-) There, a smiley face is fun.

Painting Rocks

2008-08-02T04:39:00.001-07:00

Painting rocks. An old time tradition. Somehow always a hit. Somewhere, in the recesses of a box, there lies a rock that I painted in fourth grade, dubbed my "brain" and sat on the corner of my desk, for quite a while. Perhaps the whole year, I really can't remember.

The boys and I are preparing some simple arts and crafts for a camp we'll be helping out at soon, for people with disabilities. I'm so glad that they have this opportunity to feel involved and to contribute. We've gathered supplies from our house and they have made examples to share of several of the projects. Here, we painted the rocks with q-tips. It originally was supposed to look like aboriginal art, made with dots of paint. Caedmon painted a very small deer and a pond. Ansel dipped the q-tips in the wrong colors, mixing them, which I think became a game. Really good fun.

Notes: The rocks are red because we painted them with the intention of creating ladybugs. . . we put them up to let the red dry and forgot all about them, so they never got their wings, so to speak (or spots). So we used those. Also, I took the caps off the paint and put a q-tip in each. It was a perfect amount, so the boys couldn't dunk them in a big tub of paint and make a mess (I know, art is messy, but it doesn't have to always be :-) The first rock is Caedmon's, drying on an open catalog from the recycling bin (that's where I always grab stuff to paint on) and the second is Ansel's, which he is proudly showing me. I think it looks like a fantastic fireworks display!

BooBoo Basket

2008-07-31T06:06:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. . . I never post anymore. Well, it's summer and busy times. Here is something we have been using this summer - an idea I got from Mitten Strings for God. This is our booboo basket, where I store all of the little things we need to make daily booboos better. Curious George BandAids and bug bite balm and nasal spray and such. It's a really sweet little thing that the boys are now accustomed to requesting. "MaMa, get the booboo basket." You gotta love tending to their little aches and pains. I think it's good for their hearts too.

Here's Ansel with the Burt's Bees bug bite stick - applying liberally to one of many skeeter bites. It really works!

fun challenge

2008-07-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a challenge that Meg, a Montessori teacher who lives in Mexico, has issued on her blog: She has asked parents to share the ways that their children have fun for nothin'. In this crazy consumer culture, kids often have the most fun with things that are free. I know my boys love sticks and pine cones and dirt and feathers :) There are very few toys that they could not do without. So, I think this is a great thing to share. Meg has created a Flickr group where parents can share photos of their kids having fun for nothin'.

Modern Handprints

2008-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something we did a couple weeks ago. I got the idea from Cookie. Here's the step by step:

1. I bought canvases.

2. The boys chose colors (they picked their favorites - Caedmon has always loved green and Ansel now loves orange).

3. We took off most of their clothing.

4. I squirted paint on plates.

5. They smeared paint all over the canvas with their hands.

6. They smeared paint on their bodies and any clothing that was not removed, as well as on the driveway, where we were painting.

7. I wiped their hands and placed them firmly in the paint on the canvas.

8. Repeated steps 1-6 and then placed feet on the canvas.

9. Put the paintings inside so that they could dry in peace.

10. Now I need to hang them up. Which is the hard part, because I'm not so good at committing to holes in the wall. It has to be the PERFECT place :)

Feather Finds

2008-07-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a little post about one of Caedmon's current past times: collecting feathers. He's always noticing them on the ground and bringing them to me (I then put them in the freezer, which makes me believe that the germs have been thoroughly annihilated - even if they haven't, it makes me feel better). I really didn't know how to display them, but recalled seeing a magazine photo one time, where they were displayed in a wicker ball. Having had a previous life as a Pier 1 employee, I knew where to find such a ball. For $1.50 I had a great way to display his treasures. Now he likes to take them all out and sort them by type and height, and then rearrange them in the ball. I like that it looks fabulous in our living room, and is something that he enjoys and is proud of. Now if I could just figure out all those bird calls. It seems I never know who is serenading us as we walk through the woods (or perhaps more precisely, hollering at us for disturbing their peace).

Weekend Photos

2008-07-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

Well, yes, it has been a ridiculously long time since an update. But we've been busy livin' baby, not writing about it :) Seriously, I have a hard time sitting at a computer when it is nice outside. But, here are a couple photos of what we've been up to:

1. Strawberry Picking. And eating. (I froze berries for fall/winter smoothies.)

2. Fireworks. Where both boys fell asleep. The fireworks were so loud you couldn't hear yourself talk. But they fell asleep. Cracked us up.

3. Playing Kickball after Church. Caedmon's first time and it was very cute. Here he is at a base (I'm not sure which one because he switched frequently). Ansel and I also got in on the action (for about 5 minutes).

These are the simple summer memories that I hope my kids always enjoy. We're not theme park, flashy, sorts of people and I hope that helps them enjoy the simple things. I'm cherishing this time when they're still sort of sheltered from the outside world. It makes it a whole lot easier not to give in to the mainstream. We've declared July to be a no movie month. We already don't have TV, which works really well for us. We do enjoy a good movie; I have this dream of having a projector and a white sheet and inviting all the neighborhood kids over for a flick in the backyard. But then I realized that the projector is $700. So, it remains a dream :)

Garden Photos

2008-06-19T04:56:00.001-07:00

A baby grackle hiding in the hostas. And a couple pictures of things we are growing. Parsley, Basil, Oregano and a random Geranium in a pot. (I have herbs spread here and there in pots and in the ground). And our peas coming up. Our little garden is also boasting radishes, zucchini, carrots, lemon cucumbers, five varieties of pumpkins (Caedmon's particular request was to have a pumpkin patch), various herbs, patio tomatoes, spinach and romaine planted in our window boxes, and a chocolate pepper plant. Hopefully we get some sunshine pretty soon so all of it can grow!

First S'mores

2008-06-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Last Friday (family night, remember?). First bonfire. First S'mores. No, Olaf didn't get any.

P.S. Can you tell I'm trying to catch up this morning. I wish I could actually post these things on the day they happen. But they linger on my camera too long :)

Carrot Seed

2008-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun activity to do with the book The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss. I found it in Games with Books by Peggy Kaye (which I picked up a while back for about $3.00 and am just now using - silly me). After reading the book (which is perfect for Ansel - he has it memorized), each of us laid on the ground (we took turns) and the others drew a line next to our body with chalk. Then we guessed how many carrots would fit on the line. We then "measured" how many carrots tall we were. By the way, we got to count by twos: Ansel was 4 carrots, Caedmon was 6 carrots and I was 8 carrots. And as you can see, Ansel decided to take a break and have a snack (the particular carrot he is enjoying is out of the bag, but he did try to eat them off of the driveway too. Ugghhh!).

Hair Cuts

2008-06-18T06:57:00.001-07:00

I finally took the boys to see Joel's mom for haircuts. Look at how beautiful those eyes are (we can actually see them now)! Of course I photographed them this morning with bed head. But that's the way it goes.

Sculpey Prints

2008-06-16T05:38:00.001-07:00

Another simple and wonderful project that I discovered at The Artful Parent. Sweet little imprints of nature: basically the boys and I walked around the yard and collected leaves, twigs, flowers, etc. We rolled little balls of Sculpey dough and then pressed them down onto the object to imprint. I then baked them following the package directions. The boys have enjoyed these immensely; they're so pretty and tactile. I was thinking that if we made doubles of everything next time, it would be a fun version of a "memory" game, turning them over and trying to find pairs. My favorite parts: a. the boys can do most of the steps themselves b. it's a nature/learning connection c. the process and product are lovely (you could also make beads with these!)

Check out the version at The Artful Parent, because her directions and photos are way better than mine!

Papa Joel

2008-06-14T18:26:00.001-07:00

In addition to scheming to have my boys call me "Bella Mama", I have tried to get them to call their daddy "Papa Joel." Sounds so much more lovely and eccentric than the usual dada and mama - I'm strange, I know. But this is not about me. It's about the man I love. The father of my children. The guy sitting in my dining room right now, whacking himself in the head over and over and over, at the sheer delight of the boys. He's not featured on this blog very often, because this is mostly about what I do with the boys all day. While Papa's bringing home the bacon so to speak. He allows me to be home with the boys; he's the reason we can be together, doing the fun stuff. And for that, I am truly grateful. A few more things I love about Joel:

1. He's not afraid of a dirty diaper.

2. He doesn't bat an eyelash when he comes home and I have painted the porch steps like a rainbow (that was yesterday) or any of the other crazy things I do.

3. He loves me/us unconditionally (let's just say he's seen me in some not so flattering moments).

4. He reads every single night to the boys.

5. He looks good in overalls.

6. And argyle. (not together, although that would be an interesting combination).

7. He's crazy sweet!!!!

8. And quiet. Which is also sweet. He's a lover, not a fighter.

9. Gosh, does he love our boys. And he does stuff with them. And they love him. And sometimes I'm kinda' jealous because it seems like I'm not in the boy circle, but really I am happy, because they are so good for each other.

10. And the best part: he loves God more than he loves us. Joel is a man after God's heart. Which makes for the best husband/daddy/papa we could ask for.

Happy Father's Day Sweetheart. We love you. Adore you. Forever. XOXO.

P.S. His present? Foremost, the sweetest cards from the boys. And also, a book. Because I think books are the best presents. And it's better to give than receive, so I give them. Joel received a copy of the Dangerous Book For Boys, which has all kinds of crazy stuff for he and the boys to do together. I highly recommend it. (I told him that if they do anything too dangerous, they better not tell me about it!)

Painting Tortillas

2008-06-12T05:20:00.000-07:00

I'm catching up on some of the photos sitting around here, waiting to be blogged. One morning I asked the boys if they would like to paint a snack. Of course Ansel is just like, "yeah!" Paint and snack are two of his favorite things. Caedmon was a bit more hesitant.

Like, "you're going to let us eat the paint?"

"Sure, why not?"

"We can't eat paint."

It was fun to play with him a little, but I showed him how we could mix milk and food coloring to be our "paint." Good thing he hasn't heard me ramble about dye or he'd probably still think I was poisoning him :)

They used basting brushes and smeared their "paint" around for awhile until the tortillas were soggy and basically disgusting looking. Then I popped them in the oven to dry them out and crisp them up (after a sprinkle of cinnamon & sugar - if we're eating paint we might as well go crazy and have sugar too). And snack time! So, I can't say it was exactly gourmet, but it was fun.

And by the way, I think I got this idea from pepperpaints some time ago (it's been in my brain archive). Thanks!

Birthday Photos

2008-06-08T17:18:00.001-07:00

My Martha fetish only goes so far: the cake is from a mix and the frosting from a container. LOL

Birthday Boy!

2008-06-08T10:48:00.001-07:00

Our sweet Ansel was two on Friday! Two! If you ask him how old he is, he will tell you that he is "three" or maybe even "four." When I think about how much joy he has packed into the last two years of our family, it seriously makes me tear up. I know, I'm a sappy sort of girl. I just cannot imagine life without my boys.

Thursday: On Thursday night I made him a birthday crown. The idea was taken from The Creative Family by Amanda Soule. I am so glad that he loved it!!! I love making things for my kids.

Friday: On his birthday, he had a birthday shout out on ohdeedoh. My dear friend Melissa called me to say she saw it! We had friends over for a little party Friday morning. I forgot to ask their mom (Hi Polly) if I could post pictures of them, but we had fun with a couple of games (pin the banana on the monkey and monkey see, monkey do) and banana muffins topped with yellow cream cheese (disguised as "cupcakes"). Friday evening we ordered pizza and then went to see The Young Americans, a very talented entourage, in concert (my sisters got free tickets from work!!!).

Saturday: Saturday morning we had LOTS of family and our neighbors over for another party! I have included photos of the monkey cake (an idea I copied from an old issue of Martha Stewart Kids - I saved all of those magazines!). Ansel LOVED that cake! The party was in the morning, so I made a light brunch of strata and salad and bananas (monkey/yellow theme). I didn't really plan games, but I made a little word scramble all about Ansel, and let everyone work on it at their leisure. Ansel enjoyed his presents, but I had to open most of them, which is typical of both of my boys. They've never gotten into that part. But they certainly LOVE to play with the presents. Everyone was so generous, and we have lots of fun outdoor toys, as well as a new John Deere collection for Ansel. Thanks all.

Whew! I know that was a whole lot to read, but it was such a great weekend. Bittersweet though. Those two years flew by.

One more thing: Because I have made such a lengthy post, I have officially run out of time, because we are leaving for my nephew's open house (I do not even want to think about open houses for my boys). So, I will post all of the photos tonight after church. I promise (as long as I don't forget).

Candy Land

2008-05-30T05:16:00.001-07:00

Well, here I am trying to catch up again. I have tried to institute Friday night as "family night" at our house: a night that we spend doing something fun together, rather than just working on all the things that need to be done. . . this is what we did last Friday. Gave the boys a bath, put them in their p.j.'s and headed out to Starbucks with Candy Land tucked under our arm. We ordered coffee for Joel and I, kids' steamers for Caedmon and Ansel and set up our game. It was a fun and out of the ordinary thing for us to do. I think the other customers got a kick out of our kids too. . . well, at least I hope so. We did get a bit noisy in our quest for the gingerbread house. Sorry if you were actually working on that laptop and not just surfing. . .

And our plans for this evening (it's already Friday!)? Working in the garden together. We still haven't actually planted anything! Maybe you think that sounds like work, but my boys don't enjoy anything quite as much as playing in the dirt!

Pom Poms

2008-05-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

A recent trip to the dollar store yielded these pom poms, something I have never purchased for my kids before (what kind of mother am I?). So, this morning, I had the boys sort by color into bags that I had labeled. Then, I let them at it with paper, markers, glue, etc. Ansel is enjoying himself in this photo, his pom pom picture abandoned after discovering the stickers I was using to seal envelopes with nearby. I thought I would include his work here, as his last project was neglected in the animal shapes post (thank you for pointing that out, Hannah). Of course, I now realize that I am neglecting posting Caedmon's work from today, which involved deer and trees, by the way. A popular theme in our lives.

* On that note, another of the dollar store finds was a little bird to add to the deer skull in our hallway. I will have to photograph and share. That poor deer had no idea that a crazy girl would end up hanging beads and such from his big, manly antlers.

Adios Bowl

2008-05-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Well, another one bites the dust. Another bowl that is. I will refrain from naming the little boy that dropped said bowl, but it was, of course, an accident. The problem is, we have had quite a few of those and the set of 12 is sorely dwindling. So, lunch was served on plates, not in bowls. By the way, this little lunch trick works nicely for my boys: Mixing peanut butter with soy sauce and using it on our frozen stir-fry. I enjoy it too:)

As long as I'm sharing the lunch photo, let me say that those chopsticks in Ansel's hands are genius. I got a set on Amazon - Party People by Fred I believe. Talk about fine motor skills. And slowing down during lunch. Good lesson all the way around. And fun too. Who needs a bowl anyway?

Tulips 'n' Dandelions

2008-05-16T14:51:00.001-07:00

Even though it has been on the chilly side lately, I have to say that the flowers (yes, dandelions, which I love and would never dream of ridding my lawn of) perk me up. I love pink tulips and apparently Ansel does also. Although, we have a few on our table in a vase and he put his face right up to them and growled this afternoon. Then he belly laughed, so I have to believe it was affectionate growling. The dandelion chain lasted about 10 seconds before being broken. I intended to make crowns for my little princes, but they would have none of it. Oh well, I at least walked around the yard well adorned.

Animal Shapes

2008-05-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent morning project: We checked Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert out from the library several weeks ago. The animals are all created from various cut paper shapes. We thought that we would make our own version. (Caution: Mama Bragging Ahead.)

Here is Caedmon's deer + tree + man, which I think is stunning. He actually put this together by himself! And we had returned the book more than a week ago, so it is not as if he were copying. Ansel, on hearing his big brother's proclamation that he would make a "deer" took no time declaring that he would make an "elk"! He layered many glue and shapes, until finally he just took the entire leftover pile of paper and piled it on his creation. This simple project could be done in my ways, for many age groups. For Ansel it turned into an opportunity to identify the colors he was using and of course just the process of squeezing glue and placing paper. Caedmon used multiple steps to get from idea to product. An extension, in keeping with the book, would be to write poems to go with the art. I think that would make my mama heart simply flutter with ecstasy. (You may think that is a bit dramatic, but believe me, it would flutter.)

Puppies & Chicks

2008-05-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

We got a chance to go visit the puppies and chicks at Joel's parents house the other day. The puppies are about 5 weeks old and delightful; the chicks so fluffy and cute. I have really really wanted to get our own chickens (= fresh eggs) for quite a while now. Just a few and we could name them and make them part of the family. Unfortunately, our plate is a bit full for Joel to build one more thing ( a coop) and since the price of the oh so lovely eglu (green is my favorite) is pretty steep ($500!), the reality of our chicken raising is that it must be lived vicariously. And perhaps we'll get a few fresh eggs now and then anyway?

Gone Fishin'

2008-05-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

These days it's been hard to post, with all the time being spent out of doors - yippee!!!

A couple of nights ago we took Caedmon (correction: Joel took Caedmon and I tagged along) fishing. Not much was biting but he sure had a good time.

I have about a million pictures of things we've been up to and perhaps I will get a chance to share some fun stuff very soon. Until then, enjoy the sunshine and flowers.

Very Random

2008-05-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a whole week since I posted, and I will be out of town this week, so I wanted to add a little something from the "archives" (ie my iphoto library). Here are some photos that I dug up and the corresponding explanations.

Since Ansel loves pouring, I filled a cup with lentils and let him pour into another cup (ideally over the provided tray) and continue back and forth. Of course the floor ended up covered with lentils. . . but it was fun and very Montessori-ish, which always makes me feel happy.

Another of Ansel's favorites is play dough, with the addition of a knife (plastic of course, which he refers to a "sishers" - scissors). Sometimes he hits the jackpot and we roll endless worms for him to slice and dice.

One of our Christmas purchases was this plastic Bilibo - can't remember if that's the correct spelling, but I got it from Magic Cabin, and have seen it many other places. It's appeal was its open-endedness (I'm making up all kinds of words today) - use if for a tunnel, in the bath tub (hypothetically - we haven't actually done this), a helmet. . . the favorite seems to be a sit and spin sort of thing, which Caedmon is doing here. It has sat unused for weeks on end and I was beginning to think it was a waste of money, but it has recently made a comeback - whoohoo!

Well, must go. Presently the washer and dryer are both beeping (I desperately need to hang a clothesline), the dishwasher needs to be emptied, bags need to be packed. . . you know the stuff that makes up a day (not to mention the dentist appointment I have this afternoon - arrgh). But, I keep typing, why? Because Ansel lies contentedly on my lap, nursing, hopefully to sleep. And (don't laugh if you know me), today and tonight are his last precious nursing experiences. Because I am going out of town for three days and the plan is for the milk to dry up and both of us to move on. Am I sad? You betcha. But it is time. Sorry for the ramble, but he has dozed off and I am now going to drink my tea before putting him down and tending to those darn beeping machines.

Veggie Science2

2008-04-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Oops. Forgot the pictures.

Veggie Science

2008-04-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those stay at home and do lots of fun stuff days - and I have a few minutes to put it all on the blog before going to parent orientation for kindergarten (a surreal feeling - my little boy will be in school. . . my inclination is to keep him home forever but he wants to spread his little wings so off to orientation I go).

So, the science that we are doing comes from the veggies I saved from the soup pot tonight (lentil soup - a favorite). I recalled seeing a post on plumpudding recently and thought we'd give it a whirl.

Celery stalks in colored water. (Let's see how that color is drawn up the stalks.)

A potato balanced in a bowl of water. (Let's see if it grows anything.)

Paint Play

2008-04-28T13:33:00.001-07:00

This morning we got out water colors and I showed Caedmon how to draw a picture with white crayon and paint over it - the wax creates a barrier and the drawing "magically" appears. I had also set some items on the table for inspiration - including some pine branches. We decided to try those out as paint brushes and that was super fun! We also tried some Cedar but that just fell apart.

I use a plastic tray that once held cookies for the paint and we try to match the colors of the brush handles to the colors of the paint. . . the tray has a lid so it's great for storage!

Ansel led me to the finger paint and he used one of the paint trays I found on ebay that has a raised pattern. We just dump colors in there and he spreads them around. A great sensory experience for him. We've also transferred the pattern to paper before, but he seems more interested in just mixing and spreading paint.

Dress Up

2008-04-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

The boys got some use out of those silks today. They played dress up - Caedmon wanted to look "Polish." Very cute since I have been trying to find Polish attire for Joel and myself for a missionary parade next week. Without success. Perhaps we should just wear the play silks?

Doll House

2008-04-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

This is a dollhouse that I purchased when a local shop was going out of business. It had been a display that children could play with so it was inexpensive. This was a couple of years ago when Caedmon was barely a toddler and I still had delusions that he might enjoy a dollhouse (what I should have admitted, is that I wanted one). Now I have conceded that my boys are thoroughly masculine and will obsess over tractors (John Deere), dogs (ours), and hunting (yikes!). Although they both like shoes (one point for me).

Anyway, for my own added pleasure, I "remodeled" and decorated this little house late last summer with some wallpaper and paint and ribbon and lace. . . and now it sits, waiting for me to sell it on ebay. The sad part is that it was so much fun, that I bought a couple others (very inexpensively - my very good excuse) so that I could give them makeovers and sell on ebay. Now all three sit in the basement, waiting. Perhaps I would do better to learn a truly useful skill - like how to paint tractors. I do like green and yellow (for those of you who don't have tractor obsessed children, those would be John Deere colors).

Play Silks

2008-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, Hannah and I dyed these glorious play silks. Hundreds (O.K. maybe 25) packets of Kool-Aid later we have these sweet treats - good for more than sugar highs. So, here's the process:

1.soak silks in water with a dash of vinegar about 1/2 hour

2. in a glass bowl mix:

2 cups of water

1/2 cup of vinegar

3 packets of Kool-Aid

stir before adding a silk, then cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes

3.remove wrap and stir (watch for escaping steam = burned fingers), and then repeat microwave process 2x

4.hang to dry

5. rinse in cold water and dry in dryer on low

6. iron

The silks were purchased from Dharma Trading Co. and are 30" square habotai silks.

We were already running around the driveway with these (to aid initial drying process) and I can imagine they'll be put to good use, as the boys will certainly dream up all sorts of ways to play with them. (And Hannah is giving some to her little friend Hannah, who will undoubtedly adore them!)

Earth Day

2008-04-23T04:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Day After Earth Day! No, we didn't plant anything yesterday, but we did hang out at the ranch, where the boys found some more antlers. Check out the wheelbarrow filled with this spring's finds! We also found some treasures in the woods to make sculpy prints with and I finally know what popple seeds look like, after I mistakenly referred to them as caterpillars (Joel set me straight). When my dad called to see what we had done for Earth Day, I felt a little bad that I hadn't planned an activity, but it's all about exposing the boys to God's creation and teaching them to admire and respect it. And that we're always learning (that a popple seed is NOT a caterpillar). . .

On Saturday, we joined up with the Rangers from church and cleaned along the side of the road. I'm pretty sure Caedmon thinks that you will go to jail forever if you are caught littering!

1. book: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

2. dvd's: Planet Earth series

3. toys: Schleich animals

4. art: nature journals

5. things we'll do this summer: hatch butterflies, plant a sunflower house, and I'd love to build a worm house for composting, but we'll see!

Inspiration Board

2008-04-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

O.K. so this really has nothing to do with my kids (although it's in my bedroom which is also their bedroom because Caedmon has a bed in there and Ansel sleeps with Joel and I. . . ). But I want to say something about it anyway. What is "it" you ask? My closet inspiration board. Simply cork glued and tacked to the inside of my closet door, covered in pictures ripped from magazines, catalogs, etc. that I find inspiring for my personal "style." A mom can still have style. And I also happen to be infatuated with bicycles as accessories (and have you seen the Carrie bike basket?). Well, it's there.

Book Review

2008-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I turn, there is mention of Amanda Blake Soule's new book The Creative Family. I was excited to pre-order a copy from Amazon and even more excited when it arrived. I always love to find new ideas to get the creative juices flowing in our family.

And now that I've read through my copy? Well, my initial reaction, quite honestly, was disappointment. I sat there thinking, "This is basic stuff. Stuff I could have written a book about." But once I got over myself, realizing that indeed this lady is more "creative" than myself (she has 3 year olds doing embroidery for goodness sake), I came to appreciate most of what was in there. So, all in all, it's pretty good stuff. And I might even put some of her ideas to good use (my favorite is the banging wall for outside - recycled items hung on a "wall" that children and adults can, yes, bang on. Otherwise known as making music). I also like the birthday crowns. And the instructions for making knitting needles (which will come in handy if I ever actually finish the piece of knitting I started LAST YEAR - sorry, Hannah). So, yes, it's a good book. Worth the $10.50 I paid for it. Maybe it will even make us a more creative family. Of course, we won't be mixing up henna for body painting anytime soon. But that's a whole other discussion.

The Gift

2008-04-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

Thinking about gifts. The greatest gift is salvation. Just a pure gift. Nothing we can do to earn it.

It's how we love our kids. Only better.

Melting Colors

2008-04-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

One more post this morning and I promise I am done. Sometimes Joel hides my computer mouse in the morning, because that is when I spend the most time trying to catch up on things on the computer (not necessarily "important" things, which makes me start running behind on my day, hence the mouse hiding). Anyway, after we cleaned the seed mess up, I discovered some little ice cubes that I had frozen a couple of weeks ago, while we were color mixing, and forgotten in the freezer.

Basically, we made concentrated colored ice cubes with food coloring and water. I used a cute little star shaped ice cube tray for fun: :) After removing them from the freezer, we placed two into warm bowl of water and watched the colors melt together. I let Caedmon make some color choices and guess what color they would make when mixed. After each set of cubes, we emptied the bowl and filled with fresh water for the next set. The boys especially enjoyed it when I got out spoons and let them STIR! We tried to keep the splashing to a minimum :)

Bird Gifts

2008-04-11T06:26:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, yesterday was clean-out-the-fridge day. I'm getting that spring cleaning bug and the fridge was an easy thing to tackle while Ansel napped. I went through the seeds, nuts, and dried fruit that I keep in there and decided much of it was past its best consumption by humans date. So, I got out some paper and glue and let the boys use it for art time (you should have seen the floor!) and we mixed all of the leftovers in a big bowl, to be a gift for the birds. We'll add it to our bird feeder. Now I have these sweet papers covered in mice-attracting seeds. Caedmon suggested that we tape them to the ceiling, where the mice can't get them.

Alphabet Soup

2008-04-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made some alphabet soup. It was a clean-out-the-fridge day and I wanted to use up some veggies. Adding this cute alphabet pasta makes it a treasure hunt for the boys. Such a great product! I just wish they were larger, so we could use them for spelling out words more easily. But I guess you can't have your soup and eat it too.

Creative Mess

2008-04-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

My little boy is so creative. . . and what a mess he can make. He is cutting photos out of his hunting magazine and gluing them to create a "new" magazine, which he is going to give to his dad. I took this photo of him on the dining room floor, just moments ago, surrounded by scraps and 3 glue bottles, 2 pairs of scissors, markers. . . and he couldn't be happier. Now if I could just convince him that cleaning up is as much fun!

April Fool's

2008-04-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the biggest thing we did for April Fool's Day: Dyed the oatmeal green, then pretended that it was completely normal before announcing "April Fool's Day" to Caedmon. Tadah! So it's lame - we'll do better next year.

And April Fool's on me. I decided to try the cloth diapers I recently purchased. Being a novice, I originally didn't realize that this style still required plastic pants, which I refused to use (too bulky!). I actually didn't mind using the diapers at home, but I can't imagine going out into the world without Pampers.

Avoiding Alligators

2008-03-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Here is the idea. Spread the cork circles (really trivets) across the floor, to represent stones. We managed to go from the dining room to the rug in the living room. Step or hop carefully, to avoid the ferocious alligators waiting for tasty little ankles and toes. (In case you haven't caught on the floor is really a "river"). Sigh with relief. Spread out and repeat. Ahhh, the things we do to use up our energy in the winter.

Love Bunnies

2008-03-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

These are such cute bunnies (if I do say so myself), despite my extremely poor sewing skills, that I have made for Easter baskets. So cute and quick from the book Sock and Glove.

Mixing Colors

2008-03-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the color mixing activities we did this week. I got the idea at a fabulous blog: artfulparent.wordpress.com/ . It went so well for us and was a great time.

Simply mix 1 c cornstarch, 1/3 c sugar, & 4 c cold water in large pot. Heat and stir constantly. Once it begins to thicken, remove from heat but stir one more minute. Divide mixture into bowls and add food coloring: we did read, yellow and blue so we could make orange, green and purple. Once it cools, put two colors in each ziploc sandwich bag. Close and let the little ones squoosh and mix the colors. Then hang in the window to let the sun shine through!

And I can't wait to do some more projects I have spotted at her blog. . .

Rainbow Day

2008-03-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted in FOREVER and I have so many fun things that we've been doing. . . but I wanted to share about our morning this St. Patrick's Day. We had a rainbow day, in honor of pots of gold and all that, however we also read about Noah and the first rainbow. We've been doing some color mixing lately and here are some of the activities that built on that.

We read What Makes A Rainbow and then we followed the colors in order and added food coloring, mixing colors when necessary to six glasses of water that I had filled to various heights. Then we "played" the rims with a spoon and listened to the different tones. We then compared it to our rainbow colored xylophone and the tones it produced. Caedmon used his translucent color paddles that I got from Oriental Trading to decide how to mix the colors.

We also tried to create a rainbow using the sunlight shining through a glass of water, but alas it was too cloudy. So, I used a prism in front of the window, directly over white paper and we also experimented with light and CD's. We all drew rainbows.

Our final fun thing this morning was to brainstorm colored veggies that we could make a rainbow salad with. Caedmon wrote the list and I ran to the store for the ingredients. Both boys ate everything except the red (purple) cabbage:)

Sweet Pictures

2008-02-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the new additions to our walls:

A branch found in the woods and screwed to the wall: I attached ribbon to pictures with double sided tape and hung for display (there is also a sweet little bird if you can see it).

Silhouettes I created after covering a canvas with fabric and tracing a photo of the boys, then filling in with paint. (I fell in love with the Japanese fabric: it's from repodepot).

So Seussical

2008-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

This morning the boys and I took a bunch of toilet paper and paper towel tubes my mom saved up for them and decided to make something of them. After they each made a pair of binoculars (Of course Ansel had to have a pair after his big brother made some), we started working on a "house." Instead of a plain ol' house, we got crazy with the colored tape and created a seussical house. We saw my niece in the musical production at her school and my boys LOVED it! It was fun to get them working together with me, and Caedmon wanted to make a sign that said "Seussical." He's going crazy with his writing, now that he's figured out that he can write any word he chooses using his hard earned letter writing skills.

2008-02-23T10:11:00.001-08:00

Wow, I have a lot of things that I want to add to this blog. I have just uploaded a week's worth of photos. Here are the highlights:

The first photo is of the boys watching the large tractor snow blower going by our house. They run to the window to catch a glimpse before it's too late!

We had a little tea party yesterday with the boys and one of their friends, as well as some stuffed friends. We made an Indian bread from a mix, and had Pocky sticks from Japan, as well as Anna's Swedish cookies. Our tea was PandaBerry from the Republic of Tea. It was a fun taste of food from around the world, which is the theme we are studying right now.

We made some treats for our dog, Olaf. The boys had great fun mixing it up and cutting out the bones. It was also a way to use up some whole wheat flour that has been sitting on our shelf way too long. I also added some flax seed to make them extra healthy. The really fun part about this project for me? I don't have to be as vigilant about clean hands and work surface because the food ends up in the dog's tummy - after all, he does eat off the floor. Also, the treats are for Olaf, not the boys, which means no begging for more cookies! And they love doing something special for Olaf, a sometimes neglected member of the family. Here's our simple recipe:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1 cup peanut butter

Mix it up, cut it out, and bake it on a cookie sheet at 375 F for 20 minutes.

We made a volcano after talking about Japan and how the islands were formed from volcanic erruptions. The ol' baking soda and vinegar trick really makes the boys laugh! I thought the red food coloring and play dough made it extra fun.

All these little things we do together make our days special and when I feel like I'm not being "productive" enough, I look back on the time we spent together and know that it's all worthwhile.

Snowy Walk

2008-02-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we took the boys for a walk down some local trails. I strapped on snowshoes and Joel pulled them on a sled (what a dear!). It was refreshing after being inside most of the day. Good thing we went yesterday - we have had freezing rain all day today!

For some silly reason I am having a problem keeping my photos rotated. So you'll have to look sideways, but you get the idea:-)

Blowing Bubbles

2008-02-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

I'd forgotten how much fun bubbles can be. The other morning I decided to blow some in the basement for the boys to chase after. They had such a great time that I blew until I was getting lightheaded and the floor was covered with round soap spots! A way to get them moving on the days when we don't get much outdoor time.

(On a completely random note: I went grocery shopping and discovered that YoBaby Yogurt is now available plain. I always wished for that when my boys were babies - We love the flavored kinds but so much sugar!)

PB&J Valentine

2008-02-10T17:54:00.000-08:00

It's fun to do little things that have to do with holidays - this week Valentine's Day. So, I made these little sandwiches for lunch with a heart cut out on the top (I used a cookie cutter). It's a simple way to show my little ones that even a sandwich can be special.

funky butt

2008-02-04T12:28:00.001-08:00

Today I finally finished a little project called "the funky butt hut" - a scrapbook of sorts. I'm a lousy scrapbooker, so I embraced my lack of skills and just let it be what it was - fun pictures with some paint, stickers, & rambling notes mixed in. I'm so pleased to see each page filled. here is one of my favorites. . . sorry it's sideways!

Play Dough

2008-01-31T04:48:00.001-08:00

I know, I know, everyone has play dough. And you might even have a recipe. But in case you don't, here is my favorite and there's just something about the kids waiting at the table for a fresh batch of dough. Mine love it.

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon oil

food coloring

Mix dry ingredients in med. sauce pan. Add water and oil: mix. Stir in food coloring. Stir constantly over medium heat until ball forms. Knead a couple times and voila, play dough!

Ours stays moist for a very long time in the fridge.

Book Making

2008-01-28T17:41:00.000-08:00

It seems that my four year old and I have something in common (actually we have lots of things in common, but this is one of them). We are enjoying the art of book making (not sure if that is the technical term). He has been working all day on books. It began when I helped him make a book about whales, because that is what we were reading about this morning. He has since taken off with the idea and has created a book of Bible stories, which he gave to my dad when he stopped by. I suggested that he could make one for us to look at at night and he got right to it. Series of pictures, very elaborate in detail. I have to mention that he is obsessed with Bible stories. We read the Bible every night and he also listens to stories on CD's and he loves them. At the moment, he is at the table, making a book about African animals. I can see that it will be difficult to drag him off to bed. And I hate to make him stop, because I know that feeling, when you are so caught up in your work, that you just cannot imagine putting it down.

Well, I mentioned that we have this book making thing in common. Actually, it is a newfound pleasure of mine as well. I have discovered Blurb.com and all the possibilities it offers. I created an ABC book and a book about my boys and right now I am working on a recipe book at Shutterfly, because they gave me a free book credit with my order. Of course our mediums are very different. But the feeling of creating something is so much the same. To be shared with others. To be looked at over and over again. And it helps that we both love books.

Someday (soon, I hope) I will began adding pictures to my humble little blog here. But first I have to finish that recipe book. . .

Preachy Mom

2008-01-23T16:58:00.000-08:00

Alright, I know I just posted, but I read it over and realized that I sound like that highly competitive, preachy mom who thinks she knows everything and her kids are geniuses. . . Well, I'm really not. Sure, I have opinions about food and toys and crafts and all of that. But when I'm at story hour and the craft at hand is insanely annoying to me, I smile and go with it. The other moms I'm around don't always know how I feel about these things. But that's the beauty of the blog. I would actually prefer that very few people who know me read it. Because I can just go off about whatever without them rolling their eyes. I'd like someone to read it though. So, hopefully if that someone is you, you don't find me completely annoying an preachy. Because I really am a pleasant play date.

Still Life

2008-01-23T16:25:00.001-08:00

I was just looking at this drawing that my four year old did. It is part of a series that he made - still life drawings using his Playmobil sets. No prompting from me. No blatant exposure to "still life" art complete with explanation. Just his own little brain at work. I try hard to expose my kids to lots of open ended art. I'm the mom who cringes at the identical paper plate creations on display in preschool classrooms. But sometimes I wonder if it's working, you know? Apparently it is. I love these moments. (One confession: I have allowed coloring books to enter our home - the horror:)

Goji Berries

2008-01-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

So, my kids' newest food obsession is apparently also a new super food adored by surfers - who knew? Chock full of cancer fighting antioxidants. What is this wonder food? Goji berries. Tiny red berries imported from Asia. I think they are mostly bitter with a hint of sweetness. And my boys adore them. (Ahhh, what discriminating palettes. . . OK, they love P&J too).

Whenever I get to my favorite health and natural food store I always try to pick something new and interesting up. Dried fruits and veggies are always a great car food. Our favorite (besides the new Goji berry addition) is organic dried peas ( www.justtomatoes.com for info.). Much better than a happy meal. (Although it's nice to know that you can at least get some apple slices from a McDonald's drive thru in a pinch:)

I'm a believer in simple food. Good food. Goji berry food. And while I used to feel alone as the "crunchy granola" type, what I feed myself and my family is becoming mainstream. I wonder if all of us parents whose friends and relatives are succumbing to cancer (my husband's uncle passed away this week), are trying to offer our kids something better. I hope so.

Sweet Name

2007-12-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Mmmm. . . sounds so yummy. I've recently (oh for six months or so) been trying to get my little boys to call me "bella mama." Of course it's hard to get a four year old to call you a pet name that you've chosen yourself. His little brother (18 months) barely says "mama;" he says plenty of other words but my name is reserved for times of emotional distress (i.e. crying). And I also decided that "dada" should be replaced with "papa." If we can't be eccentric and exciting parents, perhaps we can at least sound like we are.

As the name suggests, this blog is intended to focus on my life as a mom. Two little boys, Caedmon and Ansel, are the sons that my life revolves around. They spend most of their waking hours with me and define who I am in so many ways. I'd like to elevate the mundane by writing about it. You may expect to find everything that relates to me as a mom here. So sweet. Enjoy.